Water pollution is one of the main types of pollution the world is currently dealing with. When harmful toxins and other waste particles are released into the water, it can lead to heavy water contamination and can pose a serious threat to human health. Among all the other factors that contribute to water pollution, crop production is an activity that is known to pollute the water bodies to a huge extent. The organic waste, pathogens, and other emerging chemical pollutants release harmful chemicals and toxins into the water body, ultimately causing pollution. This article will provide you with a deep insight into the harmful pollutants that degrade the quality of water to a large extent. 

Pathogens 

Pathogens, also known as infectious agents, are known to spread diseases and cause harm to human health. When these pathogens are released in the water body, it can lead to different risk factors, and sometimes the risk is very diverse and fatal. In humans, pathogens start to affect the body tissues which ultimately results in harmful diseases. Though the human immune system can battle against certain types of diseases yet some of them are extremely fatal and hazardous. 

Different Types Of Pathogens 

Generally, pathogens are divided into five categories – bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, and parasitic worms. Let’s understand the five types in detail. 

1. Bacteria – As soon as the harmful bacteria enter the human body, it starts to reproduce rapidly, resulting in severe tissue damage. When a person gets affected by a bacterial infection, doctors recommend some bacterial drugs and antibiotics to treat the infection. However, not all bacteria are known to cause severe diseases. Some of the bacterias are helpful in certain metabolic functions and are harmless. 
2. Virus – smaller in size than bacteria but can infect the human body more rapidly and vigorously. The virus is known to affect the host cell by invading. It can multiply even faster and can affect the other host cells at a high pace. 
3. Fungi – different species of fungi are known to affect humans differently. They can cause certain diseases such as athlete’s foot and ringworm
4. Protist – known to affect the growth of crops and plants. When a person eats food infected with certain pathogens, it can lead to dysentery and diarrhea. 
5. Parasitic worms – big enough to watch by eye, these pathogens include flatworms, thorny head worms, and roundworms, that survive either in the intestines or in the gastrointestinal tract.

Harmful Effects Of Pathogens 

Pathogens attack the human body and then feed on the nutrients present in it. Due to the friendly environment, pathogens tend to multiply faster, leading to severe diseases. 

1. Bacteria can cause tuberculosis, meningitis, food poisoning, gonorrhea, typhoid, and chlamydia. 
2. Viruses can cause influenza, rotaviruses, measles, mumps, HIV, etc. 
3. Asthma, skin and nail infections, lung infections, are caused by fungi. 
4. Protozoa is responsible for dysentery, malar, African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness. 
5. Parasitic worms are known to cause different diseases known as lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, and schistosomiasis. 

Prevention From Pathogens 

A few precautionary measures will ensure that you won’t get affected by the infections that pathogens cause. Check out the steps to keep yourself protected. 

1. Wash hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water. You can try alcohol-based sanitizer for more effective results. 
2. Vaccines are also important as they will help your immune system to be ready to fight the diseases. 
3. Keep your surroundings neat and clean as it can help to eliminate the growth of pathogens and other harmful viruses. 
4. Avoid insect bites and ensure that you’re safe from the attack of harmful pathogens. 

Organic Wastes

The waste materials that either come from animals or from plants and are biodegradable are known as organic wastes. Although they are biodegradable yet they need to be managed effectively to reduce water pollution. As the waste from industries and agricultural farms runs into the water, the microorganisms present in the water start to decompose. In this process of decomposition, microorganisms use a certain amount of oxygen that is known as biological oxygen demand. The amount of oxygen present in the water is referred to as dissolved oxygen. 

Harmful Effects Of Organic Wastes 

When the microorganisms start the decomposition procedure, they directly impact the oxygen concentration present in them. Thus, it imposes huge pressure on the rivers as the water starts to lack oxygen. This deficiency in oxygen affects aquatic life to a large extent. As per a recent stat, it is believed that if the same continues, the water bodies that depend on water to live will be diminished. In contrast, the bacteria that do not require oxygen to live will start decomposing on the waste leading to serious risk factors to human health as well as the environment. 

Prevention From Organic Wastes 

Proper precautionary measures should be taken while dumping organic wastes into the water body. With some measures, the aquatic animals can be protected which in turn will make a positive impact on the environment. 

Chemical Pollutants 

Aside from pathogens and organic wastes, chemical pollutants are the major sources that can pose a threat to the environment as well as human health. Chemical pollutants released into the air can lead to serious risk factors when a person inhales, ingest, or absorbs the pollutant. 

Harmful Effects Of Chemical Pollutants 

When inhaled it can lead to high damage and can affect the major organs of the human body such as the liver, kidneys, nervous system, blood, cardiovascular system, immune system, or reproductive system. 

Prevention From Chemical Pollutants 

There is no doubt that removing the pollutant completely is hard but the harmful effects of chemical pollutants can be prevented by safe exposure. A regulatory body must handle and educate people regarding the toxicity of different chemicals. Policies on chemical exposure should be changed to minimize the risk associated with it. The more we will pay attention to the chemicals, the more safe the environment will be. 

Conclusion 

So this was the harmful effects of pathogens, organic wastes, and chemical pollutants along with the precautionary measures. Water pollution is becoming one of the most threatening issues around the globe. By taking time to understand the effects of pollutants and other harmful pathogens, it can be an easy feat to deal with them.