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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Published on: September 11, 2016

Soils and geomedicine.

Eiliv Steinnes¹

¹Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. eiliv.steinnes@chem.ntnu.no

Environmental Geochemistry and Health

|April 8, 2009

Summary

Geomedicine links natural soil elements to health issues. Soil deficiencies and excesses in trace elements like selenium and iodine impact crops, livestock, and human health globally, especially in inland regions.

Area of Science:

Geomedicine
Environmental Health
Nutritional Science

Background:

Geomedicine studies natural factors influencing health distribution.
Soil chemistry's role in health often focuses on pollution, but natural element imbalances are globally significant.
Trace element deficiencies and toxicities in soils affect agriculture, livestock, and human populations.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the global health implications of soil trace element imbalances.
To emphasize the importance of geomedical factors beyond soil pollution.
To underscore the need for further research into geomedical problems.

Main Methods:

Literature review of geomedical studies.
Analysis of trace element distribution in soils and its impact on health.

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Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

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Published on: September 11, 2016

Combined Size and Density Fractionation of Soils for Investigations of Organo-Mineral Interactions

Combined Size and Density Fractionation of Soils for Investigations of Organo-Mineral Interactions

Published on: February 15, 2019

Integrated Field Lysimetry and Porewater Sampling for Evaluation of Chemical Mobility in Soils and Established Vegetation

Integrated Field Lysimetry and Porewater Sampling for Evaluation of Chemical Mobility in Soils and Established Vegetation

Published on: July 4, 2014

Case study examples of geomedical issues.

Main Results:

Deficiencies in boron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, zinc in plants and cobalt, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium in animals are common.
Toxicity issues from excess copper, fluorine, and selenium also occur in animals.
Human health problems mirror animal deficiencies, particularly in populations relying on local food sources.

Conclusions:

Geomedical imbalances, especially trace element deficiencies (e.g., iodine, selenium), pose significant global health risks.
Geographical location (coastal vs. inland) influences exposure to certain elements like iodine.
Further research is crucial to address widespread geomedical challenges.