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Major Water Pollutants and their Sources
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Major Water Pollutants and their Sources
Pathogens
Major examples and their effects
Pathogens cause diseases such as cholera, diarrhaea, or dysentery. They can include bacteria (Vibrio cholerae - Cholera), viruses (Adenovirus - Colds)
Major Sources
Most pathogens originate from Sewers, septic systems, and animal wastes.
Thermal Pollution
Decreases dissolved oxygen, make some species vulnerable to disease
Vibrio Cholerae
Thermal pollution consists of heat that originates from industrial plants and electric power
Inorganic chemicals
These are incredibly dangerous because they add toxins to the water. They come in the forms of Acids, bases, salts. Some specific examples include Ammonia or H2SO4. They come from household chemicals, surface runoff, industrial discharge.
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Sediments
Sediments are harmful because they interrupt photosynthesis, and alters food webs
The three types are soil, silt, clay.
Biggest sources come from land erosion and construction
Plant Nutrients
Causes excessive algae growth (algal blooms). Chemicals such as nitrates and phosphates. These chemicals mainly come from animal wastes, sewage, inorganic fertilizers
Organic Chemicals
Examples and what they do
Organic Chemicals such as oil, gas, cleaning solvents, plastics, pesticides, herbicides, all add toxins to the water. The toxins come in the form of pyrethrins or pyrethroids from pesticides, or even hydrocarbons from oil and gas.
Heavy metals
Major sources include:
Farms, households, Industries
Causes cancer, disrupts immune and endocrine systems
Examples include lead, mercury, and arsenic
Enters water via runoff from household chemicals, unlined landfills, industrial discharges, mining waste
Oxygen-demanding wastes
Sources
Food-processing plants; failing septic systems; sewage; pulp mills
Waste containing harmful bacteria dumped into freshwater, using up all the oxygen and killing the fish.
Examples
Leaves and woody debris; dead plants and animals; animal manure
What they do
Bacteria in the waste dissolves oxygen needed by aquatic organisms to survive. Often lead to dead zones when there's excessive waste.