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Naturally-Occurring Contaminants and Understanding Nitrates in the Environment By Alan Hahn
IN HIS SEMINAL BOOK, THE SOIL CHEMISTRY OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, OUR LATE FOUNDER, DR. JAMES DRAGUN, A SOIL CHEMIST, WROTE, “CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, NATURALLYOCCURRING, UNPOLLUTED SOILS ARE NOT ‘CLEAN’…SOILS CONTAIN A NUMBER OF CHEMICALS AND ORGANISMS THAT CAUSE ADVERSE EFFECTS THAT RANGE FROM SIMPLE ACUTE TO FATAL DISEASES.”
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Spring 2017 — Partners
Dr. Dragun’s point is illustrated throughout history. In the 1840s, potato farmers in Ireland experienced the full wrath of natural disasters. A fungus led to a catastrophic loss of potato crops which resulted in the loss of livelihood for some. For others, it cost their lives.