15 An Overview of Natural Water Contamination …
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can result into poor quality water with bad taste, though the immunity level varies
greatly from infant to adult people to such noxious substances.
In general, it is well known that four different types of contaminants are primarily
important for taking into account different environmental maladies, namely organic,
inorganic, radiological, and biological contaminants. The major sources of organic
contamination are stemming from different industrial, domestic, and agricultural
activities which on the other hand can create dysfunction of human organ and cause
different diseases at ultra-trace to trace level. Pesticides and chlorinated byproducts
are considered as one of the most harmful products among these carcinogens. The
use of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effect on the environment.
Some of the chlorinated- and phosphorus-based pesticides are really harmful for
disruption of metabolic activities of non-target pests. Though CIB and EPA have
set down some maximum contamination level (MCL) for such toxicants, still it is
usually found in the environmental compartment above their MCL.
In addition to the different volatile organic compounds, dyes and emerging contaminants consist of a series of pernicious chemicals which has acute and chronic
effects on human health. Figure 15.1 shows the sources and migration pathways of
contaminants through the environmental compartments and their dissipation routes
by natural meteorological events. Additionally, dyes and other emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, and PCPs can be the significant carcinogenic
chemicals which can be stemming from different industrial effluents and anthropogenic activities (Pagga and Brown 1986). Water treatment by-products, flame
retardants, plasticizers, personal care products, petroleum hydrocarbons, cationic
and anionic dyes, different surfactants, chemical solvents, analgesic products, fragrances, etc., through their physical, chemical, and biological degradation can create
environmental benign/malign by-products that may induce non-esthetic pollution
and non-point source of pollution of water bodies.
15.1.2 Link Among Fate, Sources, and Occurrence
of Environmental Contaminants
There are a suite of other categories of contaminants prevailing in the water bodies which play important roles in spreading human diseases. Among them, algae,
protozoa, fungi, bacteria, or viruses can play a vital role in deterioration of water
quality in terms of its taste, appearances, and odor/color. The slime or molds produced by a group of entomopathogenic bacterial population can be quite harmful for
the infants and adult people who have no options for fresh drinking water in rural
areas and ultimately can damage the different essential metabolic activities. Some
group of iron/sulfur bacteria, protozoans, and viruses (polio, Hepatitis, etc.), bluegreen algae, and other microcystis population are responsible for various infectious
diseases, and they can appear in different hospital and industrial wastewater streams.
They are responsible for multiple diseases like diarrhea, chlorea, typhoid, nausea,
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can result into poor quality water with bad taste, though the immunity level varies
greatly from infant to adult people to such noxious substances.
In general, it is well known that four different types of contaminants are primarily
important for taking into account different environmental maladies, namely organic,
inorganic, radiological, and biological contaminants. The major sources of organic
contamination are stemming from different industrial, domestic, and agricultural
activities which on the other hand can create dysfunction of human organ and cause
different diseases at ultra-trace to trace level. Pesticides and chlorinated byproducts
are considered as one of the most harmful products among these carcinogens. The
use of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effect on the environment.
Some of the chlorinated- and phosphorus-based pesticides are really harmful for
disruption of metabolic activities of non-target pests. Though CIB and EPA have
set down some maximum contamination level (MCL) for such toxicants, still it is
usually found in the environmental compartment above their MCL.
In addition to the different volatile organic compounds, dyes and emerging contaminants consist of a series of pernicious chemicals which has acute and chronic
effects on human health. Figure 15.1 shows the sources and migration pathways of
contaminants through the environmental compartments and their dissipation routes
by natural meteorological events. Additionally, dyes and other emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, and PCPs can be the significant carcinogenic
chemicals which can be stemming from different industrial effluents and anthropogenic activities (Pagga and Brown 1986). Water treatment by-products, flame
retardants, plasticizers, personal care products, petroleum hydrocarbons, cationic
and anionic dyes, different surfactants, chemical solvents, analgesic products, fragrances, etc., through their physical, chemical, and biological degradation can create
environmental benign/malign by-products that may induce non-esthetic pollution
and non-point source of pollution of water bodies.
15.1.2 Link Among Fate, Sources, and Occurrence
of Environmental Contaminants
There are a suite of other categories of contaminants prevailing in the water bodies which play important roles in spreading human diseases. Among them, algae,
protozoa, fungi, bacteria, or viruses can play a vital role in deterioration of water
quality in terms of its taste, appearances, and odor/color. The slime or molds produced by a group of entomopathogenic bacterial population can be quite harmful for
the infants and adult people who have no options for fresh drinking water in rural
areas and ultimately can damage the different essential metabolic activities. Some
group of iron/sulfur bacteria, protozoans, and viruses (polio, Hepatitis, etc.), bluegreen algae, and other microcystis population are responsible for various infectious
diseases, and they can appear in different hospital and industrial wastewater streams.
They are responsible for multiple diseases like diarrhea, chlorea, typhoid, nausea,