Contamination

Water contamination can take numerous forms. Chemicals such as biocides, inorganic chemicals such as phosphates, and heavy metals are responsible for some of them. Man-made organic substances have been discovered in drinking water, with these chemicals accounting for 10 to 20% of total organic matter.

Because of their low molecular weight, these compounds are particularly easy to identify.

Chemical pollutants are classified as follows:

1.Organic Contaminants  

2.Inorganic Contaminants 

Organic contaminants include oil spills from highways and concrete areas, pesticides and fungicides used in agricultural industries, and insecticides and fungicides used near waterways. In water, organic compounds can be found as single molecules or as a suspended solid.

Inorganic pollutants include nitrogen and phosphorus. Inorganic pollutants, which are extremely toxic to people, comprise both metals and nonmetals. Many companies, for example, pollute water by dumping waste into freshwater.

Contamination of water by biological and chemical agents:

1.Ecological harm: Some of the pollutants are fatal, causing physiological and behavioral abnormalities in a wide range of animals. As a result, reproductive success is reduced, as is the species’ immunity.

2.Reduced dissolved oxygen levels: As a result of the contamination, the algae absorbs all of the oxygen, resulting in a reduction in oxygen levels.

3.Fish species extinction: Contaminants injure fish, and the discharge kills invertebrates over time.

Biological Contamination 

Bacteria, viruses, and molds are all examples of biological pollutants. These can be living organisms or organisms that are created by other living organisms. Although none of the biological contaminants are harmful to our health, some molds can cause major allergies. When there is a significant temperature differential between the inside and outside temperatures, condensation of water occurs, which leads to mold growth.

Chemical Contamination:  What Is It?

Chemical contamination is the presence of chemical chemicals in unsuitable locations, such as the workplace, home, food, and environment. It could also suggest that the substances present are normally present or should be there, but at a higher concentration than usual or at a level that is regarded unhealthy.

These chemical substances can occasionally be harmless, but in other cases, they can cause acute (rapid and severe) poisoning or, in chronic (long-term) cases, organ damage or even cancer.

In the kitchen and at home

Chemical pollutants can be found in the home from a variety of sources, including detergents, disinfectants, and even deodorants. Chemical pollution may also be present in the food you consume or the water you drink. For example, if the pipes that carry your drinking water are made of or contain lead, arsenic, copper, zinc, or other chemical elements, it can cause a variety of problems, including nerve damage.

Chemical pesticides and herbicides may be present in your food, which you subsequently consume. But let’s assume you’re very particular about what you buy and where it comes from. Even if we buy organic food that is devoid of these poisons, you are still vulnerable. Consider the container in which you eat or heat your food. If we heat our meals in plastic containers, the chemicals in the plastic containers may leach into your food! If we cook with non-stick cookware, you risk chemicals from the non-stick coating getting into your favourite meal.

At Work and Outside

Chemical pollutants can also be found in workplaces; it all depends on where you work. Contaminants from the workplace frequently have an impact on the environment in general. For example, if you work in oil drilling, you may be exposed to hazardous chemicals in order to extract the oil, which can pollute your hands, the air around you, and the water you drink. If we  work at a rubbish incinerator, the heat generated by the facility vaporizes a variety of dangerous compounds, polluting the air around you and for miles.

Nature, on the other hand, can be tainted by those of us who do not engage in such hazardous activities. If you’ve ever flushed medications or other chemicals like drain cleaners down the toilet, sink, or bathtub, you know that it all gets up in our water supply.

Conclusion 

We conclude that  water contamination has various sources and causes, of which only a handful are described here. Although rivers and streams can recover from the impacts of some pollutants, lakes, bays, ponds, sluggish rivers, and oceans have limited resilience to the effects of water pollution.