Water Pollutants

Organic and Inorganic

 water
pollution
• Water pollution is a term used to indicate an
act of contaminating or making foul natural
water bodies such as rivers, streams, wells, etc.
 Differences between pollution and contamination of water
Pollution
1. It is the general term and it
includes contamination also.
2. It makes the water unfit for
the best use.
3. The polluted water is
objectionable to the human
senses of sight, smell, feel
and taste.
4. The illustrations of polluted
water are: colored water,
saline water, foul smelling
water, water containing
floating bodies, oil, grease,
etc
Contamination
1. I t is the specific term of
indicating pollution.
2. It makes the water unsafe
and unreliable for use.
3. The contaminated water may
not be apparently
objectionable.
4. The illustrations of
contaminated water are
water containing high
concentration of harmful or
pathogenic bacteria, etc.
 Types of water pollutants
Organic and Inorganic
Pollution of water occurs due to the following
Factors:
• Inorganic substances
• Organic substances
 Inorganic substances
• Toxic inorganic compounds:
• Dissolved inorganic substances
• Suspended inorganic substances
 Toxic inorganic compounds

• Certain inorganic compounds are toxic to fish and

other aquatic life.
• These compounds are derived from industrial
wastes of certain industries such as fertilizers,
coke ovens, gas liquors, alkali producing
factories, etc.
• The important toxic inorganic compounds include
free chlorine, chloramines, hydrogen sulphide,
soluble sulphides, ammonia and salts of many
metals such as chromium, lead, nickel, copper,
uranium, mercury, silver, zinc, etc.
 Dissolved inorganic substances

• The dissolved inorganic chemical substances

include minerals and gases derived either
naturally or from certain industrial wastes and
when they are present in small concentrations,
they are harmless to fish and other aquatic life.
• Table shows the effects developed by the
presence of different minerals and gases in
water.
DISSOLVED INORGANIC CHEMICAL
SUBSTANCES
 Suspended inorganic substances

• The suspended inorganic substances include

particles of clay, sand, silt, etc. The effect of
these substances is to impart turbidity to water.
 Organic substances
• The most common form of pollution of water due
to organic chemicals is due to the presence of fats,
proteins, carbohydrates and other organic
substances.
• These organic chemicals get access to water
bodies either through sewage or through industrial
wastes.
• The important industries which contribute such
chemicals are those of drugs, dye-stuffs,
insecticides, pesticides, chemicals, detergents, etc.
• Following are the forms of organic pollution of
water:
• (i) Suspended organic substances
• (ii) Dissolved organic substances.
 Suspended organic substances

• The suspended organic chemical substances

develop due to the presence of certain industrial
wastes or vegetables or animals.
• The vegetables may be in the form of algae,
decayed leaves, fungi, etc. and they impart
acidity, green or brown color and taste to the
water.
• The animals may be in the form of insects, dead
animals, etc. and they are considered responsible
for the growth of bacteria in water.
 Dissolved organic substances

• The dissolved organic chemical substances

develop due to the presence of certain industrial
wastes or due to decay of vegetables and animals.
• In this case, water contains large quantity of
albuminoid ammonia with large quantity of free
ammonia and chlorides.
• Such water is likely to contain pathogenic or
disease-creating bacteria and hence, it is to be
considered as very dangerous to public health.
THANKS