The Chemistry Behind Water Pollution (Essay Sample)

Name Institution/Affiliation Lecturer Course Date The Chemistry behind Water Pollution Water pollution is one of the topics that has been in the new headlines relating to chemistry in the environment and has caught my interest. Water pollution is entirely a human problem and still worsens with the advancement of technology. Following the spread of industrialization all over the world, water pollution problem has also spread to an equal extent. Our life on the planet hugely depends on our choices, and so is water pollution. We can choose to lessen or even avoid water pollution in many ways. The knowledge of chemistry in our immediate environment will be useful in handling such issues as water pollution. Water pollution has a lot of chemistry behind it which we are going to look into in this essay. Water pollution occurs as a result of the introduction of undesirable foreign materials into the natural waters. The substances may be chemical or organic in nature. The most common water pollutants include human or animal wastes. Besides, radioactive materials and disease-causing organisms also result in water pollution. Similarly, poisonous metals such as lead or mercury also amount to water pollution. On the other hand, agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, or composts have also been among the top water pollutants. According to Sethi, acid rain and high-temperature water released from factories (thermal pollution) also constitute water pollution (49). Contaminants in water are risky for both human and animal use and harm the development of crops. High temperatures may make green growth develop quickly, rendering water unfit for both animal and human consumption (Sethi 52). Some sources of water pollution such as an oil spill from a pipeline or chemical discharge from factories can be controlled. However, other nonpoint sources such as surface runoff erosion particles and nitrate-rich water from feedlots constitute bigger scales of water pollution and are hard to remedy. Sethi points out that pollution from nonpoint sources may go into streams or aquifers, covering a broad zone (54). In spite of the fact that water has been discovered on a many other planets, none has as much water as the planet Earth, of which water covers 70 percent. Around 97.4 percent of it Earth is found in seas and is excessively salty for human consumption. An extra 2.6 percent is freshwater found in underground waterways called aquifers or solidified in ice sheets or polar ice tops. Less than 0.02 percent of the water on Earth is available in lakes, rivers, or in the atmosphere as water vapor. In a couple spots, water is sufficiently unadulterated to drink from wells or springs. However, progressively water must be treated to evacuate toxic contaminants. In water treatment, substances such as chlorine, chloramines, or ozone must be added to kill the harmful microscopic organisms (Sethi 56). Water pollutants are measured and reported as parts per billion (ppb) or parts per million (ppm). A solution of water containing 2 grams of lead in 1 million grams of water is a 2 ppm arrangement. A 1 ppb arrangement of calcium contains 1 gram of calcium in 1 billion grams of water. A grouping of 1 ppm is the same as 1 milligram per liter (mg/liter). Specific analytical equipment permits professionals to screen poisonous substances in water. In the field, pH meters and pH charts are used to quantify acidity and turbidimeters to measure the presence of suspended solids. Tests taken to labs are investigated by gas chromatography to decide the presence of organic compounds such as vinyl chloride. This is only possible by spectroscopic emissions and in the detection of pesticide residues in high-performance liquid chromatography (Smol 53). According to Trivedi, the most perilous types of water toxins are sewage, which much of the time contains hazardous pathogenic life forms; oil and hydrocarbons; substantial metals; radioactive substances; pesticides and herbicides; and destructive elements, for example, acids and bases (21). In urbanized countries, few primary wellsprings of water pollution ought to exist, yet homeowners still release engine oil, radiator fluid, pet waste, and paint into tempest sewers, and small producers at times overlook appropriate waste disposal procedures. On the other hand, in developing countries, organizations and family units regularly release wastes directly into streams or lakes that are likewise used for water supplies. Numerous sources debase water supplies indirectly. Indirect pollution sources include incorporate wastes runoff from feedlots or overflow of agricultural chemicals from farmlands. Besides, spilling oil from pipelines and wells also constitute the secondary water pollution sources. A lot of residue from roads and parking garages also pollute water (Trivedi 21). Non-point sources create a large portion of the natural inorganic substance water toxins, mainly identifying with concentrated agricultural chemicals and high urban regions. Particular inorganic compounds and their real sources are mono-potassium phosphates, ammonium nitrate and a large group of related phosphate and nitrogen mixes such as a part of agricultural manures. In any case, some inorganics, for example, chlorine and associated subordinates are created primarily from point sources, ironically used in water treatment offices. Besides, a percentage of the massive discharges of overwhelming metals to aquatic environments are settled point mechanical and industrial plan...