Water pollution research
Water covers more than 70% of the earth's
surface and is a very important resource for
people and the environment. Water pollution
affects drinking water, rivers, lakes and oceans
around the world. Consequently, this harms
human health and the natural environment.
Here you can find more information about
water pollution and what you can do to prevent
it.
Water contamination can come from a number
of different sources. If the pollution comes from
a single source, such as an oil spill, it is called
point source pollution. For example, a factory or
sewage drainage. It is easier to control because
it is easy to identify the source. On the other
hand, if the pollution comes from many
sources, it is called non-point source pollution
and is more difficult to control. For example,
the runoff of chemicals, such as pesticides.
Most types of pollution affect the immediate
area surrounding the source. Sometimes
pollution can affect the environment hundreds
of miles away from the source, such as nuclear
waste, this is called transboundary pollution.
Different types of Water Pollution (Sources)
Surface waters are the natural water resources
of the earth, they are found on the outside of
the earth's crust and include the oceans, rivers
and lakes. These waters can become polluted in
a number of ways, and this is called surface
water pollution.
Ozone oxygen: Microorganisms living in the
water feed on biodegradable (recyclable)
substances. When too much biodegradable
material is added to the water, the number of
microorganisms increases and they use up the
available oxygen. This is called oxygen
depletion.
When oxygen levels in the water are depleted,
relatively harmless aerobic (oxygen-using)
microorganisms die and anaerobic (not using
oxygen) microorganisms begin to thrive. Some
anaerobic microorganisms are harmful to
people, animals, and the environment, since
they produce toxins, such as ammonia and
sulfides.
Groundwater: A large amount of the Earth's
water is found underground in soil or rock
structures called aquifers. Humans often use
aquifers as a means of obtaining drinking water
and building wells to access it. When this water
becomes contaminated it is called groundwater
contamination. Groundwater contamination is
often caused by pesticide contamination from
the ground, which can infect our drinking water
and cause big problems.
Chemical contaminants of water: Industrial and
agricultural work involves the use of many
different chemicals that can run-off (see figure)
in water and contaminate it, such as pesticides
used in agriculture to control weeds, insects,
and fungi. Period Petroleum (oil) is another
form of chemical contaminant that usually
pollutes water through oil spills, when a ship it
was carrying crashed or collided with
something. Oil spills usually only have an effect
on localized wildlife but can extend for miles.
The oil can kill many fish and stick to feathers or
seabirds causing loss of the ability to fly.
Cause of Water Pollution
There are multiple causes of water pollution,
but here we have focused on the most
damaging. and common.
Sewage and sewage: There are a billion people
on earth so sewage treatment is a huge priority.
Sewage disposal is a major problem in
developing countries. As many people in these
areas do not have access to sanitary conditions
and drinking water. Raw sewage in such areas
can pollute the environment and cause illnesses
such as diarrhea. In developed countries,
sewage often causes problems when people
flush chemicals and pharmaceuticals down the
toilet. When people are sick, sewage often
carries harmful viruses and bacteria in the
environment that cause health problems.
Marine discharges : Discharge of liters in the
sea can cause great problems. Liter items such
as 6 pack ring containers can get caught in
marine animals and can lead to death. Different
elements take different lengths of time to break
down in water. For example, Styrofoam takes
80 years to degrade (decompose), aluminum
(soda cans) can take 200 years to degrade, and
glass takes so long that the exact amount of
time is not known.
Industrial (factory) waste– Industry is a huge
source of water pollution, producing pollutants
that are extremely harmful to people and the
environment. Many industrial facilities use fresh
water to flush waste from the plant and into
rivers, lakes, and oceans. For example, lead.
This is a metallic element and can cause high
environmental and health problems. It is a nonbiodegradable substance so it is difficult to
clean once the environment is contaminated.
Lead is detrimental to the health of many
animals, including humans, as it can inhibit
(stop) the action of enzymes in the body.
Oil Pollution : The oceans are polluted by oil on
daily bases from oil spills, shipping runoff and
routine dumping. Oil spills account for about
12% of the oil that entered the ocean. The rest
comes from travel shipping, drains, and
dumping. An oil spill from a tanker is a serious
problem because there is a huge amount of oil
spilled in such a place. Oil spills cause a very
localized problem, but can be catastrophic for
local marine wildlife such as fish, birds, and sea
otters. Oil cannot dissolve in water and forms a
thick sludge in water. This suffocates fish, gets
caught in the feathers of seabirds preventing
them from flying, and blocks light from
photosynthetic aquatic plants.
Hazard (Effects)
Virtually all types of water pollution are harmful
to human and animal health. Water pollution
may not harm our health immediately, but it
can be harmful after long-term exposure.
Different forms of pollutants affect the health
of animals in different ways.
Heavy metals from industrial processes can
accumulate (build up) in nearby rivers and
lakes. These are toxic to marine life such as fish
and shellfish and subsequently to humans who
consume them. Heavy metals can slow down
development; lead to birth defects and some
are carcinogenic (cancer causing).
Industrial waste often contains many toxic
compounds that harm the health of aquatic
animals and those that consume them. Some of
the toxins and waste in each country may only
have a minor effect while others may be fatal.
They can cause immunosuppression,
reproductive failure or acute intoxication.
Microbial (bacteria) contaminants in
wastewater often result in infectious disease
that infects aquatic life and terrestrial life
through drinking water. Microbial
contamination of water is a major problem in
the developing world, diseases such as cholera
and typhoid fever is the leading cause of infant
mortality (infant mortality).
Organic matter and nutrients deplete oxygen
from the water. This causes suffocation of fish
and other aquatic organisms.
Suspended particles (solids) in fresh water
reduce the quality of drinking water for human
consumption and the aquatic environment of
marine life. Suspended particles can often
reduce the amount of sunlight that penetrates
the water, disrupting the growth of
photosynthetic plants and microorganisms.
Prevention (Solutions)
If you want to help keep our waters clean, there
are many things you can do. You can prevent
water pollution in rivers, lakes, groundwater,
and drinking water with the following tips in
your daily life.
• Be careful what you flush down your sink and
toilet. Do not throw paint, oil or another liter
down the drain or toilet.
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning
products, such as washing powder, household
cleaning agents and toiletries.
• Pesticides and fertilizers should not be
abused. This will prevent runoff of material into
nearby water.
• By having more plants in your garden you
prevent fertilizers, pesticides and polluted
water from draining into nearby water sources.
• Do not throw garbage into rivers, lakes or
oceans. Help clean beaches, rivers and lakes by
putting waste in trashbins.