ABSTRACT
Soils and soil health impact employment, food insecurity, and poverty; influence access to foods that support healthy eating patterns; influence environmental conditions; and impact air and water quality and, therefore, must be considered a key so-called social determinants of health. While this statement is true independent of any human health connections, soil biology is very important to human health. The big picture for this discussion is that soils have a major impact on global biogeochemical cycles that in turn affect global climate change. Clay is a natural geologic material that is thought to be unique in its ability to impact health via all routes of exposure: inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. Soils impact human health through their physical, chemical, and biological properties. Soil physical and chemical properties have long been studied by soil scientists, and the fundamental tests and procedures for determining them are well established.
