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Water Pollution and Consequences

Fuad Suleymanov, Erika Charity Flores, AND YOUR NAMES

City University of Seattle

Sustainable Resource Use

Dr. Mohsen Saeedi

11/21/2022
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1. Introduction

2. Main types of water pollution

3. Impact of water pollution

4.

5.

6. References
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Introduction.

The most common inorganic material in the universe is water. It performs exceptionally well in the

metabolic processes that underlie life. Water is the only source of oxygen required by photosynthesis,

which is the planet's main source of energy. Water, in addition to real bodies of water, may also be

present in the air, soil, and all living creatures, making up the biosphere. Water is essential for both

industrial and agricultural production. Water is extremely important and in increasing demand. Globally,

3300–3500 km3 of water is used each year for all water supply sources. At the same time, 70% of all

water usage goes to agriculture. Water in its natural state is never free from impurities. Along with salts

and dissolved gases, it also has suspended solids. 1 liter of fresh water can contain up to 1 gram of salt.

The seas and oceans hold the bulk of the world's water supply. Freshwater makes up about 2% of the

total. The glaciers and ice in the polar regions hold 85% of the world's fresh water. The water cycle

results in the replenishment of fresh water. With the birth of life on Earth, the water cycle grew more

complicated due to the fundamental occurrence of physical evaporation being joined with more complex

processes connected to the life-sustaining activities of living beings. The importance of a guy's

participation in this cycle also increases as he gets older.

Water is essential to the industries of chemical, pulp & paper, and ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy.

Additionally, water usage substantially increases as energy production develops. Water is heavily used for

the population's residential requirements and the livestock industry's needs. Most of the water is utilized

for residential purposes before being disposed of as wastewater into the rivers.

Water use has always been crucial to human life and the health of the environment. Human attempts to

increase water use have always put tremendous pressure on the hydrosphere. A decrease in the amount of

air oxygen dissolved in water, an increase in the concentration of toxic heavy metals like sulfates,

chlorides, and nitrates, and the appearance of radioactive elements, pathogenic bacteria, and other
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pollutants are all indications of water pollution. These changes in physical and organoleptic properties

(violation of transparency, color, odor, and taste) are also indicators of water pollution.

The deteriorating condition of aquatic ecosystems poses a serious threat to all living creatures, but notably

to people.

Main types of water pollution

the bacterial and chemical pollution of water that occurs most often. Mechanical, thermal, and radioactive

causes of pollution are found much less frequently. Chemical pollution is the most prevalent, persistent,

and widespread kind. Inorganic substances can be harmful (such as arsenic, mercury compounds, lead, or

cadmium) or non-toxic (such as phenols, naphthenic acids, insecticides, etc.). (Salts, acids, alkalis).

Contaminated waterways do not always completely self-purify, though. When harmful substances are

dumped on reservoir bottoms or during filtration in the reservoir, rock particles absorb them. In extremely

permeable soils, the location of the chemical source of groundwater contamination might be up to 10

kilometers (about the cruising altitude of a commercial jet) and 10 kilometers (about 6.21 mi) distant. A

symptom of bacterial contamination in the water is the presence of hazardous bacteria, viruses (up to 700

species), protozoa, fungi, etc. This form of pollution is temporary.

Even at exceedingly small concentrations, radioactive pollutants in water are exceedingly dangerous. The

most hazardous radioactive compounds are those that are "long-lived" and more easily float in water

(strontium90, uranium, radium-226, cesium, etc.). Radioactive waste seeps into the water when it is

dumped into bodies of surface water, buried at the bottom, etc. Due to their ascent to the earth's surface as

radioactive waste and products, their subsequent seepage into the planet's interior along with atmospheric

fluids, and their interaction with radioactive rocks, uranium, strontium, and other elements enter

groundwater. Mechanical pollution is described as the introduction of different mechanical contaminants

into water (sand, sludge, silt, etc.). Mechanical contaminants can significantly affect the organoleptic

properties of water.
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In addition, trash, byproducts of wood rafting, industrial waste, and household garbage pollute surface

streams, lowering water quality and harming fish habitats and ecosystem health.

The resultant mixture's temperature rises from mixing with warmer surfaces or processing waters,

resulting in thermal pollution. As the temperature rises, the gas and chemical composition of the water

changes, which promotes the development of hydrations, the spread of anaerobic bacteria, and the release

of dangerous gases like hydrogen sulfide and methane. The hydrosphere is polluted simultaneously by the

"blooming" of water and the accelerated proliferation of microflora and microfauna, which causes the

formation of new pollution types.

According to current sanitary regulations, the reservoir's temperature should not rise by more than 3°C in

the summer or 5°C in the winter, and its thermal load should not be more than 12–17 kJ/m3.

Impact of water pollution

The effect of water contamination on various illnesses is chiefly reflected in the accompanying

viewpoints. First, water pollution is most likely to cause diarrhea, which is mostly spread by enteroviruses

that live in water. Enterovirus relies on groundwater, river, seawater, sewage, drinking water, and other

sources for its transmission environment. As a result, drinking water intervention is necessary to prevent

enterovirus transmission from the environment to individuals. Second, skin diseases are linked to using or

consuming water that has been heavily polluted. Skin diseases are primarily caused by excessive bacteria

in seawater and heavy metals in drinking water. Thirdly, water pollution can harm human health in any

one of three ways: the delivery of water, its treatment, and the source of the water. In water sources,

arsenic, nitrate, chromium, and trihalomethane are major carcinogens. Chlorine treatment from water

treatment may introduce carcinogens. Complex factors, such as chlorinated by-products, heavy metals,

radionuclides, residual herbicides and pesticides, etc., contribute to the cancer-causing effects of

contaminated drinking water. Lastly, water contamination is a significant contributor to childhood

illnesses. Children who come into contact with water that has been contaminated by microorganisms can
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develop diarrhea. Other diseases can result from malnutrition and weakened immunity to diarrheal

diseases. Water pollution occurs when a body of water is tainted, typically by microorganisms or

chemicals. Water that has been polluted can become harmful to humans and the environment. According

to (Lin, L., Yang, H., & Xu, X. 1AD, January 1), Poor water quality is responsible for more than 50

different diseases, and it is linked to 80% of diseases and 50% of child deaths worldwide. However,

diarrhea, skin conditions, malnutrition, and even cancer are all consequences of water pollution-related

diseases. As a result, it is essential to investigate the effects of water pollution on human health,

particularly the heterogeneity of diseases, as well as the significance of clean drinking water, which has

significant theoretical and practical implications for achieving sustainable development objectives. Sadly,

despite the fact that a lot of literature focuses on a specific disease and water pollution, there are still few

research results that systematically examine the impact of water pollution on human health and a variety

of diseases. The most prevalent disease brought on by water pollution is diarrhea, which is a common

symptom of gastrointestinal conditions. The runs are a main source of disease and passing in small kids in

low-pay nations. In developing nations, diarrheal diseases are responsible for 21% of the annual deaths of

children under the age of 5 (Waddington et al.,2009). According to a Pakistani study, some water sources

contained coliform contamination. The main factors that contribute to the contamination of drinking

water are improper sewage and solid waste disposal, overuse of pesticides and fertilizers, and

deteriorating pipeline networks. In this region, the contamination of the water with coliform bacteria is

the primary cause of water-borne illnesses like gastroenteritis, dysentery, diarrhea, and viral hepatitis

(Khan et al.,2013). (Waddington et al.,2009) Therefore, preventing the spread of diarrheal pathogens from

the environment to humans is the most crucial function of water and sanitation health interventions. Refer

to (Haseena, et al.,2017). Poor water harms aquatic life as well as human life by destroying crop

production and contaminating our food. Heavy metals, particularly iron, have an effect on fish’s

respiratory systems and disrupt the food chain. Metal contamination of water causes hair loss, liver

cirrhosis, renal failure, and neural disorders in humans when fish gills become clogged with iron, which

kills fish. Fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from farms and livestock operations wash nutrients and
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pathogens, like viruses and bacteria, into our waterways whenever it rains. Algal blooms, a toxic soup of

blue-green algae that can be harmful to people and wildlife, are caused by nutrient pollution, which is

caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air or water. Nutrient pollution is the number one threat

to the quality of water around the world. there is an emphasis on water quality at the point of use, with

chlorination and safe storage as interventions to improve water quality (Gundry et al.,2004), and the

supply of clean, treated water (Khan et al.,2013). countries should conduct their own epidemiological

studies to establish health-friendly bathing water quality standards that are appropriate for their particular

circumstances in order to lessen the impact of water pollution on skin diseases (Cheung et al.,1990). the

whole process supervision of water quality the purity of water sources, the scientific nature of water

treatment, and the efficiency of drinking water monitoring should be strengthened in order to reduce

cancer caused by water pollution. production, consumption, and transportation should all be prevented

and controlled in every society (Landrigan et al.,2018). a lot of health education is done. Through

newspapers, magazines, television, the Internet, and other media educate residents about sanitary water,

introduce environmental education, and raise awareness of public health. Train ranchers to stay away

from the abuse of agrarian synthetic substances that sully drinking water.
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References

Tripathi, A. K., & Pandey, S. N. (2009). Water pollution. A P H Pub. Corp.

Waddington, H., Snilstveit, B., White, H., and Fewtrell, L. (2009). Water, Sanitation and
Hygiene Interventions to Combat Childhood Diarrhoea in Developing Countries. New
Delhi India Global Development Network International Initiative for Impact Evaluation
Aug.

Khan, S., Shahnaz, M., Jehan, N., Rehman, S., Shah, M. T., and Din, I. (2013). Drinking Water
Quality and Human Health Risk in Charsadda District, Pakistan. J. Clean. Prod. 60, 93–
101. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.02.016