Soil and human health: a review

Soil “Ecosystem” Services and Natural Capital: Critical Appraisal of Research on Uncertain Ground

“…Significant negative effects of soils on climate change, through the release of greenhouse gases (Burgin et al, 2013), are acknowledged, as is also the fact that, while they supply nutrients to crops, soils also do the same to countless weeds that eventually require the use of large amounts of herbicides to eliminate them. However, other nefarious effects of soils, for example on human populations (Oliver, 1997;Schenker, 2000;de Silva et al, 2003;Herrmann, 2006;Pepper et al, 2009;Steinnes, 2009;Bardgett and van der Putten, 2014), are far less recognized. Yet, they can be very significant, as vividly illustrated by the case of helminthiasis, a macroparasitic disease of humans and animals transmitted partly through soils.…”

Accumulation of Metals on Tobacco Leaves (Primings) Grown in an Agricultural Area in Relation to Soil

“…Contamination of the soil-water-air-plant-animal-human system with metals has health, economic, and ecological importance (Oliver, 1997). The concentrations of metals in soils are associated with biological and geochemical cycles and are influenced by anthropogenic activities, such as agricultural practices, transport, industrial activities and waste disposal (Alloway, 1990;Kabata-Pendias and Pendias, 1992).…”

Geochemical Mapping of the Denver, Colorado (USA) Urban Area: A Comparison of Studies in 1972 and 2005

“…Humans may then be exposed to these soils by inhalation, ingestion or contact with the skin. The influence of soils on human health has been documented by several researchers (Campbell et al, 1996;Oliver, 1997;Mielke and Reagan, 1998;Abrahams, 2002;Plumlee and Ziegler, 2003;Pierzynski et al, 2005). To understand fully the influence of urban soils on human and environmental health, it is essential to understand the abundance and spatial distribution of potentially toxic substances in this medium through geochemical mapping studies.…”