What kind of environment does leaching primarily affect?

Leaching primarily affects soil environments because it refers to the process by which water-soluble substances, including pesticides, fertilizers, and nutrients, are washed out of the soil and into the groundwater. This occurs when rainfall or irrigation infiltrates the soil, dissolving these substances and carrying them downward through the soil layers.

Leaching is a significant concern in agriculture and environmental management because it can lead to the contamination of groundwater with harmful chemicals, potentially impacting drinking water supplies and ecosystems. Understanding this process is crucial for managing soil health and preventing pollution. In contrast, while aquatic environments, indoor environments, and atmospheric environments can be impacted by chemicals, they are not directly related to the leaching process itself, which is fundamentally about the movement of substances through soil.