Scientists warn against growing plants on flood-affected soil. Masses of water flowing at high speed may cause the ground to mix with bottom sediments contained in river beds, which may contain pollutants hazardous to health.
Experts emphasize that each flood carries a number of long-term threats to flooded areas. These include, among others, an increased risk of occurrence landslidesWhether development of dangerous fungi on damp house walls.
Scientists from the University of Life Sciences in We Wrocław to this list they also add soil contamination with bottom sediments from the bottom of rivers. In their opinion, it is a “ticking time bomb”.
Destructive effect on arable soil
During a flood, water moves at great speed, destroying everything in its path. Scientists from the Institute of Soil Sciences, Plant Nutrition and Environmental Protection at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences point out that during the movement of the flood wave, bottom sediments located in the river beds are mixed with the soil.
– Bottom sediments are a ticking time bomb. At the bottom of the river, in anaerobic conditions, they remain dormant, nothing happens to them. But breaking them from this dormancy, which is done by a flood wave, causes aeration of these sediments and, as a result, the emission of various types of pollutants into the atmosphere, e.g. mercury compounds, toxic elements that can become volatile, aromatic hydrocarbons – explains Prof. Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek from the Institute of Soil Sciences, Plant Nutrition and Environmental Protection of the University of Life Sciences.
The expert adds that today we are dealing with a new type of pollution in rivers and bottom sediments. These include microplastics, remains of pharmaceuticals, antibiotics and hormonal agents. They all bind easily to organic matter.
– In many cases, these are pollutants classified as so-called groups of emerging contaminants, i.e. requiring urgent attention from scientists and relevant services, because we do not have developed technologies for their removal and prevention of their movement into the environment – emphasizes Medyńska-Juraszek.
People affected by floods and floodingMaciej Zieliński/PAP
Growing plants in such conditions is risky
Soil scientists warn against growing plants intended for consumption in post-flood areas. In their opinion, this carries the risk of accumulation of substances harmful to health.
– Soil accumulates pollutants for a long time because it does not have the ability to self-clean, and the most at risk are organic soils or hortisols, i.e. soils enriched with organic matter, e.g. compost or peat, i.e. typical soils in our gardens – experts point out.
Scientists from the Institute of Soil Sciences, Plant Nutrition and Environmental Protection of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences recommend taking a soil sample to an appropriate laboratory to test it for the presence of dangerous compounds.
– If your gardens and fields were flooded with flood waters, ask experts for help and bring the soil to the laboratory of the Center for Environmental Quality Analysis – appeal to scientists from Wrocław.
Losses after flood in Lower Silesia and the Opole regionMaciej Zieliński/PAP
How to fight soil pollution
According to experts, it is currently unknown which dangerous ingredients could have entered the soil as a result of the flood wave.
– Therefore, it should be carefully examined, especially for contaminants that may pose a threat to the quality of food plants and animals grazing in these areas – says Prof. Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek and adds that if the permissible standards for the content of contaminants in the post-flood soil were exceeded, it should be recultivated.
The reclamation process may include, among others, appropriate fertilization or applying a layer of fresh soil.
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