Soil Pollution Leads to Increased Risks of Heart Diseases, Study Shows

According to a recently published review paper, pesticides and heavy metals in the soil, which are signs of soil pollution, may harm the cardiovascular system by raising the risk of various heart diseases.

Air Pollution vs. Soil Pollution

Professor Thomas Münzel, the author of the review paper, said that compared to polluted air, soil contamination poses a less obvious threat to human health. Munzel from the University Medical Center Mainz, Germany, pointed out that there is growing evidence that soil pollutants may harm cardiovascular health through a variety of mechanisms, such as inflammation and interference with the body's internal clock.

Pollution of the water, air, and soil cause at least nine million deaths annually. Cardiovascular diseases like chronic ischaemic heart disease, strokes, heart attacks, and irregular heartbeats account for more than 60% of pollution-related illnesses and fatalities (arrhythmias).

In this essay, the connections between soil pollution and human health are discussed, with an emphasis on cardiovascular disease. Heavy metals, pesticides, and plastics are examples of soil pollutants. According to the authors, contaminated soil may increase oxidative stress in the blood vessels (with more "bad" free radicals and less "good" antioxidants), cause inflammation, and mess with the body clock or the circadian rhythm.

By breathing in crystals from fertilizer, dust from the desert, or plastic particles, dirty soil can enter the body. Plastics, organic toxicants (such as those found in pesticides), heavy metals like lead and cadmium, and organic toxicants can all be consumed orally. Rivers become tainted with soil pollutants that can be consumed when consumed.

An increased risk of cardiovascular disease has been associated with pesticide use. The general public may consume pesticides from contaminated food, soil, or water, though workers in the chemical and agricultural industries are most likely to be exposed to them.

Heavy Metals

A heavy metal called cadmium can be found in small amounts naturally in the air, soil, water, and food as well as being derived from industrial and agricultural sources. For non-smokers, food is the main source of cadmium. The study cites a Korean study that found middle-aged Koreans with high blood cadmium had elevated risks of stroke and hypertension and notes that population studies on the relationship between cadmium and cardiovascular disease have produced conflicting results.

Because of its natural toxicity, lead can pollute the environment when it is mined, manufactured, smelted, or recycled. High blood lead levels have been linked to cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks, coronary heart disease, and stroke in women and diabetics, according to studies. Additional research has shown that exposure to arsenic, a naturally occurring metalloid whose levels can rise as a result of industrial processes and the use of contaminated water for crop irrigation, is linked to a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

The study notes that heavy metal soil pollution and its link to cardiovascular diseases are a particular issue in low- and middle-income countries. This is due to the disproportionate exposure of their populations to these environmental pollutants. The increasing globalization of food supply chains and the uptake of these heavy metals with vegetables, fruits, and meat, however, make it a problem for every nation in the world.

It is noted that contaminated airborne dust may be hazardous. Desert dust can travel great distances, and studies have found a link between particles from Chinese and Mongolian soil and a higher risk of heart attacks in Japan. In Japan, the number of visits to the emergency department for cardiovascular conditions increased by 21% on days with high levels of Asian dust exposure.

Since nanoplastics and microplastics can enter the bloodstream, it is conceivable that they could travel to the organs and cause systemic inflammation and cardiometabolic disease, even though population studies on the effects of these materials on human cardiovascular health are lacking.

Professor Münzel pointed out that since we are rarely exposed to a single toxic agent, more research on the combined impact of multiple soil pollutants on cardiovascular disease is required. It is urgently necessary to research how microplastics and nanoplastics may cause and aggravate cardiovascular disease. The professor added that until further research is conducted, it seems sensible to filter water to remove contaminants, wear a face mask to reduce exposure to wind-blown dust, and purchase food grown in wholesome soil, Science Daily reports.