Agricultural Pollution: An Emerging Issue

The basic need of humans is food and wheat is the major staple food of people in the world. Wheat is the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice and in our average diet, it is considered as an inexpensive source of calories and protein. There is a severe need of increasing wheat production as the population is increasing day by day and future demand is also rising. To get dramatic yield in less time, conventional production uses pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers. Though crop production is boosted up by application of chemical fertilizers, excessive use of these chemical fertilizers can cause many problems such as soil becoming hard, pesticides getting stronger and polluting the water as well as soil. On the other hand, the constant use of these chemicals leads to wear and tear of soil characteristics which compromises the nutritional value and edible quality of cereals and fruits due to the accumulation of heavy metals in plant tissues. As a result, the protein content of wheat crop reduces and the quality of carbohydrate of such crops also degrades. Excessive use of chemical and natural products for farming is causing contamination of related surrounding and environment, eventually resulting in agricultural pollution. Farming activities not only contribute to soil and air pollution but also to water pollution which is indirectly affecting wheat crop productivity. Agricultural productivity rise has caused considerable impact on wheat, on crop production, as well as on the environment. As nitrogen salt in chemical fertilizers is high in content and the soil absorbs nitrogen more quickly, it results in drying up and dehydrates the plant. Besides this, intake of water for the plant is lowered by using chemical fertilizers, so it can cause fertilizer burn or root burn. Agriculture and environment are interconnected to each other. As agriculture causes disturbance of the rivers and streams, agricultural pollution has been stated as one of the major sources of water reservoir pollution, which in turn is affecting the productivity of the crop. Pesticides cause severe threats to both human health and the environment. Overuse of nitrogen and phosphorus-based fertilizers on agricultural land has led to the high quantity of these minerals in the soil, on surface, and groundwater. Furthermore, genetically modified crops, because of their gene flow, have improved safety concerns, as well as a greater impact on biodiversity. Due to agricultural practices, health hazards are increasing while regulatory approaches have been taken in order to prevent occupational and environmental health hazards by increasing awareness and doing research regarding agricultural health and safety in the current situation. Production of food showing less impact on the environment, human and animal health is the chief aim of the organic system. The existing issues of agricultural pollution can be solved by practices like intregated pest management, waste management, and recycling of manure. Appropriate decisions and planning at the government level are mandatory to solve the current issue.

A Credit System to Solve Agricultural Nitrogen Pollution

Knowledge domain and emerging trends of agricultural waste management in the field of social science: A scientometric review

Chapter 7 Nutrient and Water Management Effects on Crop Production, and Nutrient and Water Use Efficiency in Dryland Areas of China

Non-point source (NPS) pollution has been increasingly serious in China since the 1990s. The increases of agricultural NPS pollution in China is evaluated for the period 2000-2008 by surveying the literature on water and soil pollution from fertilizers and pesticides, and assessing the surplus nitrogen balance within provinces. The main causes for NPS pollution were excessive inputs of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides, which were partly the result of the inadequate agricultural extension services and the rapid expansion of intensive livestock production with little of waste management. The annual application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides in China increased by 50.7 and 119.7%, respectively, during 1991-2008. The mitigation measures to reduce NPS pollution include: correct distortion in fertilizer prices; improve incentives for the recycling of organic manure; provide farmers with better information on the sound use of agro-chemicals; and tighten the regulations and national standards on organic waste disposal and pesticides use.

Impacts of soil and water pollution on food safety and health risks in China

Simple SummaryLivestock manure is one of the primary sources of agricultural nonpoint source pollution and poses a great threat to the environment and human health. Sustainable management of manure via recycling is an effective means to tackle the problem. Based on field interviews in China, four alternative manure management systems were investigated: Compost-based systems, product-based systems, substrate-based systems, and biogas-based systems. For each system, the reasons of emergence, success factors, risk factors, operation mechanism, scalability, key elements, and environmental effects were discussed. Results showed that the adoption of a system is driven by various factors and market-oriented operation is the dominant operation mechanism of all the manure management systems. Compared to direct application of manure to croplands, all the manure management systems can reduce nitrogen loadings from livestock farms and lower their environmental effects. Specifically, biogas-based systems can reduce nitrogen loadings to the greatest extent, followed by product-based systems and substrate-based systems, and then by compost-based systems. Integrated management of manure with mixed recycling systems is imperative for reducing its environmental effects, which can benefit from the increasing role of third-party entities in manure recycling. Policy implications were also discussed.Livestock manure is one of the main sources of agricultural nonpoint source pollution and poses a great threat to the environment and human health. Sustainable management of manure via recycling is an effective means to tackle the problem. Based on field interviews in China, multiple case studies were employed to investigate alternative manure management systems. Four conclusions arose. First, compost-based systems, product-based systems, substrate-based systems, and biogas-based systems were identified as four main types of manure management systems, with each possessing its success factors and risk factors. The adoption of a system was driven by various factors. Second, market-oriented operation was the dominant operation mechanism of all the manure management systems. Third, compared to direct application of manure to croplands, all the four manure management systems could reduce nitrogen loadings from livestock farms and lower their environmental effects. Among the systems, biogas-based systems could reduce nitrogen loadings to the greatest extent, followed by product-based systems and substrate-based systems, and then by compost-based systems. Lastly, integrated management of manure with mixed recycling systems is imperative for reducing its environmental effects, which can benefit from the increasing role of third-party entities in manure recycling. Policy implications were also discussed.

Abstract.—In Canada, freshwater fisheries and their habitat are managed through a combination of federal and provincial authorities that can be traced back to the enactment of the federal Fisheries Act in 1868. While the management of freshwater fisheries has largely been delegated to inland provinces through regulations passed under the Fisheries Act since the early 20th century, the responsibility for the protection of fish habitat under the Fisheries Act remains a federal responsibility. This chapter provides an overview of the legislative and policy context governing the management of freshwater fisheries and their habitat by providing a brief historical perspective, describing the policies that have been applied by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and summarizing the protection afforded to fish and fish habitat via the Fisheries Act and related policies as it currently exists. Obstructions to fish migrations and flow needs for fishes were identified in the late 1800s as threats to fisheries. Habitat degradation and loss were explicitly identified as important threats under the Fisheries Act beginning in 1977. Since then, federal roles, policies and practices took on increasingly broader scope in recognition of the evolving understanding of aquatic ecosystem function. Concern over other threats, such as aquatic invasive species, is mounting, and the cumulative effects of multiple stressors, compounded with the impacts of climate change remain a complex management challenge. The federal government continues to manage threats to fish and fish habitat; through a regulatory approach that prohibits any work, undertaking, or activity that results in the “harmful alteration, disruption, or destruction” of fish habitat. Management approaches to address habitat-related and other threats will continue to evolve. In some cases, new legislative, regulatory, and policy approaches will need to be developed. Provincial, territorial, and other levels of government, including co-management boards, responsible for developing planning and permitting regimes, will continue to play a key role in managing threats to aquatic ecosystems. The numerous factors that can affect freshwaters, however, result in the need for concerted and intentional coordination across, and between, all levels of government (including Indigenous governments), Indigenous rights holders, partners, and stakeholders. Only when these systems work synergistically will freshwater fisheries, and the waters that support them, be sustained into the future.

Management of agricultural waste has recently become a grave problem in India. The technological advancement and farm mechanization have resulted into improved crop production, but simultaneously, in the absence of practical and economic options, the farmers prefer to burn the agricultural waste in open fields which creates environmental threats in terms of emission of greenhouse gases responsible for environmental and human health hazards. The direct burning of agricultural waste also deteriorates the soil quality as well as results in loss of biomass and soil microbes leading to reduced crop yields. This burning of agricultural waste (locally known as Parali) in the adjoining states of Delhi is presumed to be one of the reasons for dense smog and very high air pollution in the national capital region of New Delhi after Kharif season in the months of October to November every year for quite some time. The concerned governments, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Hon’ble Supreme Court of India are constantly monitoring over the issue and have put it on utmost priority to find out a permanent solution of this recurring problem. With the objective of finding out an optimum solution of the problem, a novel indigenous method has recently been found out in which the disposal of agricultural waste is ensured in an eco-friendly manner by converting it into a useful product, known as biochar. The biochar has great potential in mitigating air pollution and, when applied to soils, can help in upgradation of soil properties and increased yield of the crops. The concept behind the innovation is that of the thermal conversion, in which the crop residues are subjected to pyrolysis either in little presence or absence of oxygen. The most significant feature of the method is its adaptability. The farmers can convert their agricultural waste into biochar at the fields, and the biochar so produced can be further applied to the soils for upgrading the soil properties that ultimately helps to increase the crop production. This novel method of producing biochar is very simple and does not require much investment and technical skills.

Background:Facial soft tissue injury can be one of the most challenging cases presenting to the plastic surgeon. The life quality and self-esteem of the patients with facial injury may be compromised temporarily or permanently. Immediate reconstruction of most defects leads to better restoration of form and function as well as early rehabilitation.Objectives:The aim of this study was to present our experience in management of facial soft tissue injuries from different causes.Patients and Methods:We prospectively studied patients treated by plastic surgeons from 2010 to 2012 suffering from different types of blunt or sharp (penetrating) facial soft tissue injuries to the different areas of the face. All soft tissue injuries were treated primarily. Photography from all patients before, during, and after surgical reconstruction was performed and the results were collected. We used early pulsed dye laser (PDL) post-operatively.Results:In our study, 63 patients including 18 (28.5%) women and 45 (71.5%) men aged 8-70 years (mean 47 years) underwent facial reconstruction due to soft tissue trauma in different parts of the face. Sharp wounds were seen in 15 (23%) patients and blunt trauma lacerations were seen in 52 (77%) patients. Overall, 65% of facial injuries were repaired primary and the remainder were reconstructed with local flaps or skin graft from adjacent tissues. Postoperative PDL therapy done two weeks following surgery for all scars yielded good results in our cases.Conclusions:Analysis of the injury including location, size, and depth of penetration as well as presence of associated injuries can aid in the formulation of a proper surgical plan. We recommend PDL in the early post operation period (two weeks) after suture removal for better aesthetic results.

The unintended presence of agricultural waste in the aquatic environment results to changes in the water characteristics, causing contamination and producing severe damages to the freshwater bodies. Different agricultural waste management technologies have been applied in the treatment of agricultural waste before discharge, however, the use of biotechnology will surely help in the management of these agricultural waste because most agricultural waste management technologies are expensive, difficult to access, or inefficient. Biotechnology is employed in the reduction of risks associated with the pollution of soil, water, and air due to agricultural processes, thereby serving as an effective tool for the achievement of agricultural sustainability as it can be used for the monitoring of polluted sites. Some tools employed in biotechnology include genetic engineering, cell tissue culture, molecular techniques, bioinformatics, etc. Aquaculture, livestock production and cultivation activities have been identified as sources of agricultural waste. Different methods of agricultural waste management include compositing, recycling separation and sorting and 230incineration. The intervention of biotechnology in the treatment of agricultural waste has led to the conversion of the waste to bioethanol and biogas, which are eco-friendly, thus preventing the consequences of greenhouse effect. The utilization of agricultural waste as biomass for bioethanol and biogas production is advantageous because these biomasses are renewable substances which will reduce the rate of consumption of fossil fuel, for instance, the fuel needed by the entire transportation sector will not be satisfied by ethanol, but its combination with fossil fuels will reduce the pressure on fossil fuel and also reduce the environmental impact.

This work investigated heavy metal and cyanide pollution in surface soils and edible plants around Yanzhuang gold tailings ponds in the region of Yanzhuang Village in Pinggu District, Beijing. Surface soil samples were collected from 33 sites around gold tailings ponds, and concentrations of seven heavy metals (i.e., Sb, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg) and cyanide were analyzed to determine their spatial distributions, pollution degrees, and sources. The potential ecological risks of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg were preliminarily assessed. The results showed that the mean cyanide, Sb, As, Cd, Cu, and Pb concentrations were higher than the standard values. The pollutant concentrations around the tailings ponds were high and decreased with increasing distance from the ponds. The single pollution index indicated that cyanide, As, and Cd were the main pollutants. The Nemerow pollution index revealed a large region and serious degree of heavy metal pollution in soils. The potential ecological risk level of the study area was moderate, with Cd and As posing the main risks. Multivariate statistical analysis suggested that the heavy metal and cyanide pollution present mainly derived from gold tailings, with agricultural pollution also had a certain effect. However, the 12 edible plants sampled were basically not polluted.

Environmental geochemical baseline determination and pollution assessment of heavy metals in farmland soil of typical coal-based cities: A case study of Suzhou City in Anhui Province, China

286The human population is growing rapidly throughout the globe. To feed the growing population; there has been a rapid increase in intensive agricultural practices. As a result, the volume and types of agricultural waste biomass have gone up. The common traditional approach to manage agro-waste has been its release to the environment either with or without any treatment. Such practices increase the risk of environmental pollution and public health hazards. With the advancement of biotechnology, many new techniques for the management of agricultural wastes (AWs) have been developed, which had enabled one to reduce the toxic and hazardous effects of waste. These techniques convert the agro-waste into eco-friendly and value-added products having the potential of providing sustainable raw material for utilization of living organisms, including humans. Some of the potential applications of agricultural residues that had been exploited with the aid of biotechnology had been discussed in this review.

This study investigated the characteristics and sources of heavy metal(loid) pollution in the soil of a key industrial park in Kunming, China. In total, 60 soil samples (40 from agricultural land and 20 from construction land) were collected from and around the park. The soil pH and contents of Arsenic (As), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), and chromium (Cr) were measured. The contents of the eight heavy metal(loid)s were analyzed using the background values of heavy metal(loid)s in the Kunming soil. The pollution load, geoaccumulation, and Nemero Comprehensive Pollution Indices were used for environmental risk evaluation. Cluster and principal component analyses were used to resolve heavy metal(loid) sources. Cd was enriched in construction and agricultural soils. As, Hg, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn exhibited large spatial differentiation and were significantly affected by the external environment. A regional pollution load index of 3.02 indicated overall heavy pollution. The pollution load index for each heavy metal(loid) indicated light pollution. The geoaccumulation index indicated relatively severe As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn pollution. The Nemero Composite Pollution Index value showed that the study area was heavily polluted, with construction land being mildly polluted by Cd, and agricultural land being moderately polluted. The results of the spatial distribution show that there were high levels of contamination in the center. Correlation and principal component analyses showed that the pollution sources of the eight heavy metal(loid)s varied. Hg, Cd, and Pb originate primarily from industrial and agricultural pollution. Traffic sources significantly impacted Cu, Pb, Cd, and Cr. Natural sources are the main sources of Cr, Ni, and Cd. Ni is also affected by industrial sources, whereas Zn and Cu are affected by agricultural pollution. The influences of As, Cd, and Pb on the surface soil in the study area were more serious. Cd is more widely polluted and should be a priority in controlling soil heavy metal(loid)s.