Water pollutants
There are a number of water contaminants that can be classified in many different ways. One possibility is to group largely utilized in the following eight groups:
#Pathogen.
Are the different types of bacteria, viruses, protozoa and other organisms that transmit diseases such as cholera, typhoid, gastroenteritis different, hepatitis, etc. In developing countries diseases caused by these pathogens are one of the main reasons for premature death, especially of children.
Normally these bacteria get into the water in the feces and other organic debris produced by infected people. For this, a good index to measure the health of the waters in regard to these microorganisms, is the number of coliform bacteria in water. The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends that drinking water has 0 coliform colonies per 100 ml of water.
#Organic Waste.
They are all organic waste produced by humans, livestock, etc.. Include feces and other materials that can be decomposed by aerobic bacteria, ie oxygen consumption processes. When this type of waste are in excess bacterial growth depletes oxygen and can no longer live in these waters fish and other living things need oxygen. Good indicator of pollution by organic waste is the amount of dissolved oxygen, DO, water, or BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand).
#Inorganic Chemicals.
This group included acids, salts and toxic metals such as mercury and lead. If you are in high amounts can cause severe damage to living things, reduce agricultural yields and corrode the equipment used to work with water.
#Inorganic Plant Nutrients.
Nitrates and phosphates are water soluble substances that plants need for their development, but if found in excessive amount inducing excessive growth of algae and other organisms causing eutrophication. When these algae and other plants die, being decomposed by microorganisms, oxygen is depleted and it is impossible the lives of other living beings. The result is a smelly water and unusable.
#Organic.
Many organic molecules such as oil, gasoline, plastics, pesticides, solvents, detergents, etc …, just in the water and remain, in some cases, long periods of time, because, being man-made products have molecular structures complex difficult to degrade by microorganisms.
#Sediments and suspended matter.
Many particles torn from the ground and dragged into the water, along with other materials that are suspended in water, are, in terms of total mass, the largest source of water pollution. Causing turbidity in the water makes life difficult for some organisms, and sediments that accumulate feeding sites or destroy fish spawning, fill lakes or swamps and blocking channels, estuaries and harbors.
#Radioactive Substances.
Soluble radioactive isotopes may be present in the water and sometimes can be accumulated to long food chains, reaching considerably higher concentrations in some tissues than they were living in the water.
#Thermal Pollution.
The hot water released by power plants or industrial processes increases, sometimes, the temperature of rivers and reservoirs which reduces its ability to contain oxygen and affects the lives of organisms
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