---
title: "Effects of soil pollution and its control"
subject: "Engineering Chemistry"
chapter: 3
key: "semester_2/engineering_chemistry:soil-effects-control"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_2/engineering_chemistry/soil-effects-control
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Effects of soil pollution and its control

Engineering Chemistry · Chapter 3: Environmental Chemistry

- Asked in: 2072 Magh, 2+1 marks
- Video: [#soil pollution meaning, causes, effects and control measures.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hR6wyiikFE) — life science zoology
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_2/engineering_chemistry/soil-effects-control
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_2/engineering_chemistry/chapter-3

## Question

What are the effects of soil pollution on an agriculture and living beings? Write any two controls of soil pollution.

## Short answer

Soil pollution reduces agricultural fertility and crop yields, while toxic metals enter crops. In living beings, it causes biomagnification, cancer, kidney damage, and nitrate-induced blue-baby syndrome. Controls include judicial use of fertilizers and pesticides with organic manure, and segregating, recycling waste and treating industrial effluents.

## Answer

#### Effects of soil pollution
**On agriculture:** loss of fertility, reduced yield, acidic or saline soil, death of useful organisms such as earthworms and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, toxic metals taken up by crops.

**On living beings:** pollutants enter the food chain and are biomagnified, causing cancer, kidney and nerve damage; groundwater becomes unsafe (nitrate causes blue-baby syndrome); garbage dumps spread diseases.

#### Two controls
1. Use fertilisers and pesticides in controlled amounts and prefer organic manure, compost and integrated pest management.
2. Segregate and recycle solid waste, ban polythene, and treat industrial wastes before disposal.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is the effect of soil pollution on soil and crops?
   A. Loss of fertility and yield; soil becomes acidic, saline or toxic
   B. Higher yields because of added chemicals
   C. Soil becomes more fertile and porous
   D. Earthworm numbers increase
   Answer: A. Pollutants degrade the soil and reduce productivity. (Key point: Fertility loss)

2. Why are soil pollutants dangerous to humans?
   A. They stay in the soil and never reach plants
   B. They enter the food chain through plants and are biomagnified, causing cancer and kidney/nerve damage
   C. They are destroyed by cooking in all cases
   D. They only cause bad smells
   Answer: B. Plants take up toxins that move up the food chain and concentrate. (Key point: Food chain)

3. What happens when soil pollutants leach?
   A. They increase the oxygen of groundwater
   B. They are filtered out completely by soil
   C. They contaminate groundwater and streams; nitrates cause blue-baby syndrome
   D. They cause arsenicosis only
   Answer: C. Leaching carries pollutants to groundwater, e.g. nitrate leading to blue-baby syndrome. (Key point: Leaching)

4. Which practice helps control soil pollution from farming?
   A. Heavy use of chemical pesticides
   B. Burning polythene on the field
   C. Unlimited use of nitrogenous fertilisers
   D. Controlled use of fertilisers and pesticides, organic farming, compost, integrated pest management
   Answer: D. Reducing agrochemicals and using organic methods cuts chemical load on soil. (Key point: Agri control)

## Related in Engineering Chemistry

- [Causes and control of soil pollution](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_2%2Fengineering_chemistry%3Asoil-pollution) — Engineering Chemistry, chapter 3
- [Sources, effects and remedies of water pollution](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_2%2Fengineering_chemistry%3Awater-pollution-sources) — Engineering Chemistry, chapter 3, asked 2×
- [Water pollution, pollutants and adverse effects](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_2%2Fengineering_chemistry%3Awater-pollutants-effects) — Engineering Chemistry, chapter 3
- [Soil pollutants, effects and remedies](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_2%2Fengineering_chemistry%3Asoil-pollutants-effects-remedies) — Engineering Chemistry, chapter 3, asked 5×
- [Water pollutants, harmful effects, control measures](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_2%2Fengineering_chemistry%3Awater-pollutants-effects-measures) — Engineering Chemistry, chapter 3
- [Air pollutants: effects and remedies](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_2%2Fengineering_chemistry%3Aair-pollutants-effects) — Engineering Chemistry, chapter 3

## Related in other subjects

- [Living organisms in water; health effects](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Aliving-organisms-in-water) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 4
- [Household smoke pollution and effects on residents](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenvironment_and_pollution_control%3Ahousehold-smoke-pollution-effects) — Environment and Pollution Control, chapter 3
- [Water pollution: sources and effects](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenvironment_and_pollution_control%3Awater-pollution-sources-effects) — Environment and Pollution Control, chapter 4
- [Air pollution: causes, effects and mitigation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aair-pollution-causes-mitigation) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 5, asked 3×