What Are The Major Causes Of Freshwater Pollution?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Freshwater pollution is the contamination of inland water (not saline) with substances that make it unfit for its natural or intended use. Pollution may be caused by fecal waste, chemicals, pesticides, petroleum, sediment, or even heated discharges .

What are the top 3 causes of water pollution?

  1. Industrial Waste. ...
  2. Sewage and Wastewater. ...
  3. Mining Activities. ...
  4. Marine Dumping. ...
  5. Accidental Oil Leakage. ...
  6. The burning of fossil fuels. ...
  7. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides. ...
  8. Leakage From Sewer Lines.

What are 2 main things that cause pollution in freshwater?

  • Industrial Waste. Industries and industrial sites across the world are a major contributor to water pollution. ...
  • Marine Dumping. ...
  • Sewage and Wastewater. ...
  • Oil Leaks and Spills. ...
  • Agriculture. ...
  • Global Warming. ...
  • Radioactive Waste.

What are the sources of freshwater pollution?

  • Organic matter. Industrial wastewater and domestic sewage. ...
  • Pathogens and microbial contaminants. Domestic sewage, cattle and other livestock, natural sources. ...
  • Nutrients. ...
  • Salinization. ...
  • Acidification (precipitation or runoff) ...
  • Heavy metals. ...
  • Toxic organic compounds and micro-organic pollutants. ...
  • Thermal.

What are the 5 causes of water pollution?

  • 1- Sewage or wastewater: The waste from households, factories, or agricultural land gets discharged into rivers or lakes. ...
  • 2- Dumping: ...
  • 3- Oil pollution: ...
  • 4- Acid rain: ...
  • 5- Industrial waste: ...
  • 1- Diseases: ...
  • 2- Ruination of the ecosystem: ...
  • 3- Eutrophication:

What are the four major water pollutants?

There are four main categories of water pollution: pathogens, inorganic compounds, organic material and macroscopic pollutants .

What is the number 1 cause of pollution?

1. The Burning of Fossil Fuels . Most of the air pollution takes place due to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gasoline to produce energy for electricity or transportation.

What are the 10 effects of water pollution?

  • Destruction of biodiversity. Water pollution depletes aquatic ecosystems and triggers unbridled proliferation of phytoplankton in lakes — eutrophication —.
  • Contamination of the food chain. ...
  • Lack of potable water. ...
  • Disease. ...
  • Infant mortality.

Where is water pollution most common?

India is the world’s most polluted country and, as such, its most important river is no less so. The Ganges has become a big waste dump over which animals and human bodies are incinerated, and thousands upon thousands of pilgrims bathe to cleanse their sins.

How can we prevent freshwater pollution?

Use environmentally household products, such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and toiletries . Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilisers. This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. Don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans.

What are the main causes and effects of water pollution?

On human health. To put it bluntly: Water pollution kills. ... Waterborne pathogens, in the form of disease-causing bacteria and viruses from human and animal waste, are a major cause of illness from contaminated drinking water. Diseases spread by unsafe water include cholera, giardia, and typhoid .

What are 5 pollutants?

  • Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2. ...
  • Ozone (O3)
  • Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
  • Carbon monoxide (CO)
  • Sulphur dioxide (SO2)

What are the major types of water pollutants?

  • MICROBIAL. Pathogens can be bacteria, protozoa or viruses. ...
  • ORGANIC MATERIAL. Organic materials are things like petroleum, insecticides and herbicides, detergents, disinfecting cleaners, and prescription drugs. ...
  • INORGANIC MATERIAL. ...
  • MACROSCOPIC. ...
  • THERMAL.

What are the common type of water pollutants?

Water pollutants can be classified as organic pollutants , inorganic pollutants, pathogens, suspended solids, nutrients and agriculture pollutants, thermal, radioactive, and other pollutants. Organic and inorganic pollutants are mainly discharged from industrial effluents and sewage into the water bodies.

What are the 10 causes of pollution?

  • Combustion from Industry. Almost all of the common air pollutants can be produced by industrial processes. ...
  • Transportation Emissions. ...
  • Agriculture Side-Effects. ...
  • Home Heating. ...
  • Home Cooking. ...
  • Volcano Eruptions. ...
  • Forest Fires. ...
  • Tobacco Smoke.

What is the biggest source of pollution?

Mobile, stationary, area, and natural sources all emit pollution into the air. Mobile sources account for more than half of all the air pollution in the United States and the primary mobile source of air pollution is the automobile , according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.