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| Water Pollution |
The contamination of water with undesirable substances which make it unfit for usage is termed as water pollution.
Types of Water Pollution :
- Surface Water Pollution :
- Oxygen Depleting : Microorganisms that live in water feed on biodegradable substances. When too much biodegradable material is added to water, the number of microorganisms increase and use up the available oxygen. This is called oxygen depletion.
- Groundwater : A lot of the Earth's water is found underground in soil or under rock structures called aquifers. Groundwater pollution is often caused by pesticide contamination from the soil.
- Nutrients : Nutrients are essential for plant growth and development. Many nutrients are found in wastewater and fertilizers, and these can cause excess weed and algae growth if large concentrations end up in water.
- Microbiological : Microbiological water pollution is usually a natural form of water pollution caused by microorganisms (Bacteria, Virus, Protozoa).
- Suspended Matter : Some pollutants do not dissolve in water as their molecules are too big to mix between the water molecules. This material is called particulate matter and can
Facts
- Cardboard – Takes 2 weeks to degrade.
- Newspaper – Takes 6 weeks to degrade.
- Photodegradable packaging – Takes 6 weeks to degrade.
- Foam – Takes 50 years to degrade.
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