Pollutants
Pollutants are unwanted chemicals, waste materials and other considered contaminants. Pollutants in high concentrations can endanger the environment and is the cause pollution.
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[edit] Kinds of Pollutants
- Landscape pollutants - or simply Solid Waste are materials usually produced from domestic and commercial operations. These wastes are mostly biodegradable and non-biodegradable. Electronic waste or e-waste fall under this category which composed of unrepairable and unusable electronic equipments.
- Automobile pollutants - are pollutants generated from operations of automobiles, automobiles produces hydrocarbons which is a major contributor to air pollution, it also increases the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
- Organic pollutants - are pollutants generated from burning of petroleum, emissions from waste incinerators, spray painting, solvent-usage and cigarette smoke. Long term exposure to these pollutants even at minimal levels can be very hazardous to human health. This pollutants can be spread easily in the atmosphere and plays an important role in the formation of smog.
- Household chemicals pollutants - are chemical pollutants release during the use of household products like cleaners, insecticides, beauty products, bleaches, paints, etc. These pollutants when exposed in high concentrations and in long term can cause health problems and can aggravate other illnesses.
- Sediment pollutants - sediments are pollutants are commonly carried during flood storms. These sediments can cause problem to watersheds, it can cause rivers to become cloudy which eventually threatens the ecosystem. Some sediments can cause algae to breed in high levels that releases harmful toxins.
- Petrochemicals pollutants - these pollutants are in high concentrations to an area near to a petrochemical plants and can produce hydrocarbons to the air such benzene.
- Heavy metals pollutants - roadways and automobiles itself are considered to the a huge source of heavy metal pollutants. These metals are zinc, copper and lead.
- Power plant discharge - are pollutants released from power plants after being used. These discharge can cause pollution to air and water. (eg. Geothermal plants draws carbon dioxide to the atmosphere from below, nuclear power plants generates radioactive waste that scientists are still figuring it out on how to dispose them permanently.)
- Thermal pollution - water from rivers are drawn to power plants used as coolants. Coolants will change the temperature of the water which will be released back to the river. Changing water temperature can cause depletion of dissolved oxygen in the water, which can harm life that depends on it.
[edit] Types of Pollutant
[edit] Fund Pollutants
Fund pollutants are pollutants that is also generated and absorb naturally by the environment. Fund pollutants do cause damage and leads to pollution if the level produced is more than the natural environment can remove (eg. carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by plants and oceans).
[edit] Stock pollutants
Stock pollutants are mostly non-biodegradable and may take time before they can removed from the environment. Because they are non-biodegradable, such pollutants will accumulate over a period of time and may poise long term problem to an affected area. Non-biodegradable materials are often recycled to reduce accumulation of garbage in dump-sites.
