About the sixth of the global crop lands are polluted Toxic heavy metalsThe researchers estimated up to 1.4 billion people living in high -risk areas around the world.
Nearly 14 to 17 % of the world’s crop lands – about 242 meters per hectare – contaminated with at least one toxic metal such as arsenic, cadium, cobalt, chrome, copper, nickel or lead, at levels that exceed the thresholds of agricultural health safety and humans.
The analysis collected data from more than 1,000 regional studies around the world, as well as the use of machine learning technology.
“These results reveal the extent of the extreme anxiety in which these natural toxins contaminate our soil, our food and water, and affect our health and our environment,” said Dr. Liz Rillot, a great lecturer in the Department of Biology at the University of York, who did not participate in the research.
“Often they are collectively called heavy metals, these elements cause a set of devastating health problems, including skin lesions, reducing nerves, organs, and cancer.”
Politness of toxic minerals in the soil arises from natural and human activity. Polluted soil causes significant risks to ecosystems and human health in addition to reducing crop yields, endangering water quality and food safety due to vital accumulation in farm animals. Politness of toxic minerals can continue for decades as soon as pollution is inserted into the soil.
like The demand for critical minerals It increases, scientists have warned that pollution of heavy metals from the soil is likely to get worse. Rillot said: “Our driver for technology critical minerals to build the green infrastructure required to treat climate change (wind turbines, electric vehicle batteries and photovoltaic panels) will exacerbate this pollution.”
By combining data in the study and the distribution of the world population, researchers estimate that between 900 million and 1.4 billion people live in high -risk areas around the world.
Cadmium was found to be the most widespread toxic minerals and was particularly widespread in South and East Asia, parts of the Middle East and Africa.
“This map explains how mineral pollution is independent of the human borders, to address this problem, countries will have to work together,” said Rillot. “There is a lot of pollution in countries with low and medium income, where societies are directly affected, which exacerbates poverty. The impact of these polluted crops that enter global food networks is not clear.”
