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1WATER, A FUNDAMENTALELEMENT
INTRODUCTION
 Throughout the universe there is onemolecule which man seeks above all othersfor its discovery in the atmosphere of somedistant planet would immediately unleashmankind's wildest dreams.This molecule may be easily depicted asa simple triangle distinguished by aninteratomic angle of 105° owing to theelectronegativity of two of its poles. If itsbonds were exclusively covalent, this anglewould be 90°. The water molecule has anelectric moment that is reflected in itsphysical and electric properties.The formula for water can thus be verysimply written as H
2
O.Water - the very word brings to mind animage born of recent space voyages thepicture of a blue planet: Earth.Water is the most common mineral onthe earth's surface. It makes up thehydrosphere. Its volume is estimated at1370 million cubic kilometers; the volumeof fresh water distributed between rivers,lakes and ground water is considered to bebetween 500,000 and one million cubickilometers. The volume of 
 
 polar ice caps represents 25 million cubickilometers of fresh water. Finally, there are50,000 cubic kilometers of water in theatmosphere in the form of vapour andclouds. Annual evaporation is estimated at500,000 cubic kilometers and precipitationon the continents is calculated at 120,000cubic kilometers yearly.Above all, however, water is a synonymfor biological life.It is the major component of livingmatter. On the average, it accounts for 80%of its composition. In higher animals, thepercentage of water is between 60 and70%. In marine organisms, such as jelly-fish and certain algae, the proportions reachextremes of 98%. On the other hand,bacteria in a state of sporulation orsuspended animation, whichmakes them resistant, experience a drop inwater content to 50%.A principal element in the mineral andbiological worlds, water is also thepreeminent vector of life and humanactivity. At present, the world's use of water, counting domestic, industrial andagricultural, totals an impressive 250 m
3
per person per year. Moreover, disparitiesare enormous: from 100 m
3
for developingcountries to 1500 m
3
for the United States.Man's need for water is, thus, certain togrow.This makes it imperative that water beprotected. It must be treated, whether toproduce water for general consumption, orfor specific industrial uses or to limit thedischarge of pollution into theenvironment.
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