Soil

ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF LOCAL SELF

GOVERNMENT

DELHI

“ SOIL - Concepts for Paramedical”

DR.P.P.SINGH

By

Dr. P.P.SINGH

Faculty AIILSGD

Ex Medical Superintendent Cum Consultant pathologist HRH Delhi

Ex. Director India Population Project 8 Delhi..

Source ;- Book for Sanitary inspector course by AIILSG.

SOIL

A SOIL IS DEFINED AS A MIXTURE OF EARTH

MATERIALS ,WITH PARTICLES OF DIFFERENT SIZE , SHAPE ,

STRUCTURE CONTAINING AIR & WATER.

SOIL HAS:

AIR

WATER

SOLIDS ( INORGANIC OR ORGANIC)

THIS FORMS THE UPPER LAYER OF GROUND . IS

FROM FEW CENTIMETERS TO FEW METERS ON THE

SURFACE.

THE UNDISTURBED STRATA BELOW IS KNOWN AS SUB SOIL

CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL

1. RESIDUAL SOIL; THE SOIL WHICH

REMAINS AT THE PLACE WHERE IT IS FORMED.

2. DRIFT SOIL : THE SOIL IS

TRANSFERRED TO OTHER PLACE BY WIND

,RAIN AND RIVER .ALSO CALLED ALLUVIAL OR

FERTILE SOIL.

PUBLIC HEALTH POINT.

1.HEALTH SOIL. THE POROUS SOIL.

IT DOSE NOT RETAIN MOISTURE

IT DOSE NOT EMIT OR EVOLVE HARMFUL

GASES.

SUCH SOILS ARE FORMED FROM GRANITE

STONE, ROCKY CHALK, SAND STONE & SANDY SOIL.

2. UN HEALTHY SOIL ; SOIL HAVING EXCESS MOISTURE,

SOIL HAVING EXCESS OF CO2.

SOIL WITH LOW O2.

HARMFUL GASES DUE TO

DECOMPOSITION OF ORGANIC SOILED

RECLAIMED SOIL FROM REFUGE OR

MARSHY LAND

REASONS FOR THE EXCESSIVE MOISTURE IN THE SOIL.

1.HIGH PERCENTAGE OF CLAY. CLAY = 0.002MM SMALLEST

PARTICLE.

2. WHEN SUB SOIL WATER COMES UP AT THE LEVEL OF 1.5

MTS OR LESS.

3. CONSTRUCTION OF DAM DUE TO BACK PRESSURE

CAUSES RISE IN SUB SOIL.

4. SILTING OF RIVER BED RAISES THE LEVEL OF SUB SOIL.

NORMALLY THE SOIL HAS MORE CO2 AND LESS

O2. THERE IS CONTINUOUS EXCHANGE OF GASES

BETWEEN SOIL AND ATMOSPHERE .

* THIS EXCHANGE OF GASES IS ALWAYS DEPEND

ON TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE AND HUMIDITY OF

ATMOSPHERE.

RECLAMATION OF LAND

THE LOW LYING LAND ,PITS OR BURROWS ARE FILLED

SO THAT IT MATCH WITH SURROUNDING GROUND BEFORE

USING FOR ANY PURPOSE . FILLING OF SUCH LAND IS CALLED

RECLAMATION OF LAND.

THIS CAN BE DONE BY REFUSE OR WASTE MATERIALS

AT VERY CHEAP COST.

THIS CAN BE USED FOR FARMING FOR 15-20 YEARS .

THERE CAN BE HARMFUL GASES ARE EVOLVED DUE TO

DECOMPOSITION OF ORGANIC MATTERS.

RECLAIMING CAN ALSO BE DONE BY DUMPING GOOD

EARTH, STONES ,BRICKS CLINKERS AND OLD BUILDING

MATERIALS. SUCH CAN BE USED FOR ENGINEERING PURPOSE

– CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD OR HOSES ETC.

MICRO- ORGANISMS IN SOIL.

LIVING ON ORGANIC MATERIAL AEROBIC BACTERIA &

FUNGI THRIVE ON O2 & NITROGEN IN THE SOIL.

THESE CAN DESTROY AND ATTACK MANY CONSTRUCTION

ITEMS.

SOIL BACTERIA ARE MAINLY IN GARDEN ,MANURE,

AND CULTIVATED SOIL. NITROGENOUS SUBSTANCE IS

UTILIZED BY PLANTS.

THESE ARE MORE IN CULTIVATED SOIL AND SEWAGE

POLLUTED LAND

PATHOGENIC BACTERIA CAN BE KILLED BY CERTAIN

BACTERIA DURING THEIR METABOLISM.

SOIL*-- CONTAINS SAPROPHYTIC ORGANISM.

*-- CONTAINS PATHOGENIC ORGANISM LIKE CHOLERA,

TYPHOID , DIARRHEA CAUSING GERMS.

*--CONTAINS EGGS & LARVAE OF HELMINTHES (ROUND

WORM, HOOK WORM , TRICHRA ETC.

*-- CONTAINS ANTHRAX, BOTULINUM AND TETANUS

SPORES. ( ANAEROBIC ORGANISM).

*--AFTER RAINFALL SURFACE WASHING OCCUR AND

WATER FROM WELL , RIVER, LAKES ETC GETS

POLLUTED THEREBY POLLUTING THE SOIL.

SOIL & HEALTH.1. UNDERSTANDING THE SOIL IS IMPORTANT FOR HEALTH .

--POROUS AND SANDY SOIL IS HEALTHY SOIL.

--SUB SOIL DRAINAGE OF EFFLUENT IS PERMITTED

ONLY UP TO 2-2.5MTS DEEP . BECAUSE SOIL BACTERIA WILL

KILL PATHOGENIC ORGANISMS.

--FOR BORE-HOLE LATRINE AND FOR BURIAL OF DEAD

BODIES HEALTHY SOIL IS REQUIRED.

2.DUE TO OPEN AIR DEFECATION SOIL GETS

POLLUTED – LEADS TO INCREASE OF

PATHOGENIC ORGANISMS AND PARASITES.

3. SOIL RICH IN MINERAL LIKE FLUORINE WILL

CAUSE FLUOROSIS , DENTAL CARIES. DEFICIENT

IN IODINE LEADS TO GOITER. RADIOACTIVE

SUBSTANCES LEADS TO RADIATIONS.

4. FOR PROPER LOCATION OF HOUSING NATURE

OF SOIL MUST BE KNOWN.

5. FOOD PRODUCTION DEPENDS ON SOIL

CONDITIONS.

6. DAMP SOIL WITH DARKNESS ATTRACTS MOSQUITOES.

LOW LYING MARSHY LAND FAVORS MOSQUITO BREEDING –

MAY SPREAD MALARIA , FILARIASIS ETC.

7. RHEUMATISM AND LUMBAGO ARE ATTRIBUTED TO DUMP

SOIL.

8. WATERLOGGED LAND WILL OFTEN PROVE TO BE

UNHEALTHY . .