Water Pollution

Water pollution is contamination of water by foreign matter that deteriorates the quality of the water. Water pollution covers pollutions in liquid forms like ocean pollution and river pollution. As the term applies, liquid pollution occurs in the oceans, lakes, streams, rivers, underground water and bays, in short liquid-containing areas. It involves the release of toxic substances, pathogenic germs, substances that require much oxygen to decompose, easy-soluble substances, radioactivity, etc. that become deposited upon the bottom and their accumulations will interfere with the condition of aquatic ecosystems. For example, the eutrophication: lack of oxygen in a water body caused by excessive algae growths because of enrichment of pollutants.

Sources and Methods


We can classify major sources that lead to water pollution to the following categories:

• petroleum products

• synthetic agricultural chemicals

• heavy metals

• hazardous wastes

• excess organic matter

• sediment

• infectious organisms

• air pollution

• thermal pollution

• soil pollution

Type of  Pollution

Air Pollution

 Air pollution is indication of disturbances to the composition of compounds in the atmosphere, as it may be summarized as shown:


• excess emission of gases/vapors into atmosphere

• saturation of chemical compounds/particulates

• rate of dissipation < (smaller than) rate of absorption through various cycles (i.e. carbon and nitrogen cycle)

• emergence of new chemical reactions of reactive and non-biodegradable compounds.

Global warming, acid rain, smog, ozone depletion are some effects of air pollution.

In relation to this, we may observe the cycle which involves in our daily lives: carbon and nitrogen cycle. These 2 cycles are the most important of all, regulating the composition of carbon and nitrogen of Earth. Imagine the reverse is to happen....



See the left bar to discover exciting facts about the atmosphere and air pollution.



Sources and Methods

We can classify major sources that lead to air pollution to the following categories:

• motor vehicle exhaust

• heat and power generation facilities

• industrial processes

• auto manufacturing

• fertilizers plants

• building demolition

• solid waste disposal

• solvent evaporation

• volcanic eruption

• fuel production

• roadway construction

• electrical components manufacturing

• extraction of metals

• forest fires

• agriculture

POLLUTION

According to Effects of Pollution by Scott Forseman, pollution is defined as the addition of any substance or form of energy to the environment at a rate faster than the environment can accommodate it by dispersion, decomposition, recycling, or storage in some harmless form. .