Despite the connections between soils and human health, there has not been a great amount of attention focused on this area when compared to many other fields of scientific and medical study. Soils and Human Health brings together authors from diverse fields with an interest in soils and human health, including soil science, geology, geography, bio

Eric Brevik, PhD, is Associate Professor of Geology and Soils at Dickinson State University in North Dakota, USA.

Lynn C. Burgess, PhD, is Associate Professor of Biology, and Director of the Environmental Health Program at Dickinson State University in North Dakota, USA.

Topic Overview: An Introduction to Soil Science Basics. Soils and Human Health: An Overview. Human Health as It Relates to Materials Found in Soil: Soil, Heavy Metals, and Human Health. Organic Pollutants in Soil. Human Disease from Introduced and Resident Soilborne Pathogens. Radioactive Elements in Soil: Interactions, Health Risks, Remediation, and Monitoring. Soil's Influence on Water Quality and Human Health. Human Use of and Interactions with Soil: Geophagy: An Anthropological Perspective. Soil Minerals, Organisms, and Human Health: Medicinal Uses of Soils and Soil Materials. Soils, Human Health, and Wealth: A Complicated Relationship. Human Contact with Plants and Soils for Health and Well-Being. Organic Farming: Impacts on Soil, Food, and Human Health. Addressing Soil Impacts on Public Health: Issues and Recommendations. Food Security and Climate Change: Soils and Food Security. Soils, Climate, and Human Adaptability: Review of History in the Holocene. Climate Change, Soils, and Human Health.