Abstract
This chapter presents some thoughts on the function of land as a receptor and emitter of toxic substances. The former function is an anthropogenic imposition on the land and its soils. Soils did not evolve to serve the role as a storage bin for toxic persistent, chemicals, at least not at the levels of input experienced in most industrialized areas over the last 100 years. The latter function of soil as an emitter is mostly determined by natural processes in the soil. One perspective on this function is that it serves to purge the soil of toxic materials, and so can be viewed as a useful function from the point of view of improving soil quality. On the other hand, in the process of purging itself of polluting substances, such substances may be passed on to vegetation, or possibly transferred to groundwaters. Since such transfers are guided by the natural laws of soil chemistry and physics, human control over the outcomes are limited. In light of the above, major questions arise regarding the management of these soils; i.e., the range of available options for insuring their long-term sustainability, and controlling soil emissions so that they do not degrade groundwaters, or toxify flora and fauna beyond acceptable limits.
Chapter PDF
References
Forseli O, Stigliani WM (1994) Costs and benefits of removing cadmium from phosphate fertilizer. Manuscript in preparation, IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria
Hesterberg D, Stigliani WM, Imeson AC (eds)(1992) Chemical time bombs: linkages to scenarios of socioeconomic development. Executive report 20 (CTB Basic Document 2) April 1992, IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria
Klepper G, Mahlau G (1992) Non-point pollution with cadmium. The Kiel Institute of World Economics, Kiel Working Paper No 532, Kiel, Germany
McSharry R (1991) European commission reforming the common agricultural policy (CAP) COM (91) 379 def, 409 def, Brussels
Nilsson S, Salinas O, Duinker P (1992) Future forest resources of western and eastern Europe. Parthenon, Camforth, UK
Stigliani WM, Jaffe PR (1993) Industrial metabolism and river basin studies: a new approach for the analysis of chemical pollution. Research Report 93–6, IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria
Stigliani WM, Anderberg S, Jaffe PR (1994) Loading of heavy metals in the environment of the Rhine basin. Manuscript in preparation, IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria
WHO (World Health Organization) (1985) Air quality guidelines for Europe. WHO Regional Publications, European Series, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Stigliani, W.M. (1995). Global Perspectives and Risk Assessment. In: Salomons, W., Stigliani, W.M. (eds) Biogeodynamics of Pollutants in Soils and Sediments. Environmental Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79418-6_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79418-6_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-79420-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-79418-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive