Radioactive materials and other polutants in water sources Research Paper

Radioactive materials and other polutants in water sources - Research Paper Example Water pollution is the term that refers to the contamination of water bodies, which include: lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater. Water pollution is caused by pollutants which are discharged either directly or indirectly into the water bodies without proper treatment for the removal of the harmful components. Water pollution affects plants and other living organisms that are present in water bodies; the effect of water pollution is not only damaging individual species and populations, but in fact the natural biological communities as well. Surface waters are referred to as natural water resources or the Earth. Surface water pollution is divided into two major categories: point sources and non-point sources. Point source pollution is where pollution is caused from a single source and can also be identified. Non-point source pollution is where pollution is not caused by just one source in fact; it is the diffused contamination that occurs from different sources rather than just one. (Water Pollution Guide) There are many causes for water pollution. The first major water pollution pollutant is sewage and wastewater. Activities such as domestic work, industrial and agricultural practices produce wastewater which then pours in the clean water stream and contaminates it. Sewages water contains pollutants such as faeces, urine and laundry wastes. The world population has reached 7 billion, therefore, sewage treatment is vital and population is like to grow hence we need to take of this cause or there will be ever-increasing water pollution. Sewage is a major problem especially in the developing countries where they do not have access to good sanitary conditions and safe water. Untreated sewage causes diseases such as diarrhea. Sewage is mainly biodegradable but sometimes is contains chemicals and pharmaceutical substances, sewage also contains viruses and bacteria thus causing health problems. (Fuller) Another major cause of water pollution is marine dumping. Marine dumping is when humans d ump garbage into the sea or ocean. This then causes the water to directly become polluted. This is a major problem throughout the world and the developing countries in particular. Since developing countries do not have a proper waste disposal system then the people dump their waste into the sea. For instance Karachi, a city in Pakistan, used to attract high numbers of tourist because of their geographical location that has more than 6 beaches. However, due to marine dumping tourism in that region has dropped tremendously in that region. Different items take different times to degrade in water, some take a shorter time for instance cardboard – two days, and some take a very long time for instance plastic packaging material – about 400 years. (Fuller) One more major cause of water pollution is industrial water and waste. Industrial waste is a huge cause of water pollution because it produces pollutants that are very harmful and dangerous to the people and the environment . Many industrial facilities use fresh water as a source to wash and carry their waste out of their vicinity into different water bodies. There are ample amounts of industrial pollutants. First is asbestos. Asbestos is carcinogenic and is a serious health hazard. It can be inhaled and can cause deadly diseases such as lung,