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EMERGENT LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH - Vol 10, Issue 2, Published on 31, December 2024

Pages: 103-115
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Adverse impacts of heavy metal pollution on soil and plant growth in agriculture

Author: Navendra Uniyal, Bhawana Dhami, Himani Petwal, Avinash Sharma

Category: Review Article

Abstract:

Agriculture is important for human beings because it provides food, employment, and other necessities, and pollution in agriculture causes several problems. Heavy metals are always at the top of the list regarding concerns about agriculture pollution. Heavy metals reach in agriculture from various sources but the uses of agrochemicals like fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture are the most common sources. The most common heavy metals are arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn). Heavy metal pollution in agriculture threatens human and animal health, pollutes groundwater, causes plant phytotoxicity, and reduces agricultural productivity and soil health. Heavy metals enter the food chain mostly through the soil, where they are absorbed by plant roots. Once they enter the food chain, they pose a serious risk to each organism linked to that food chain. Heavy metals create imbalances in several crucial processes in plants and soil ecosystems. Heavy metal degradation takes too much time in soil and remains in the soil for a very long time. Heavy metal degradation from the soil ecosystem may be accomplished through the use of bioremediation.

Keywords: agriculture, bioremediation, fertilizer, heavy metals, pesticide

DOI URL: http://doi.org/10.31783/ELSR.2024.102103115