Water, H2O, covers three quarters of the surface of the globe, and is
a prerequisite for the existence of life as we know it on Earth.
It is the most important solvent.
Water pollution is the degradation of the quality of water resources as
a result of physical, chemical and/or microbiological contamination.
In general, polluted surface waters result when water contains either
too little dissolved oxygen,
or too high a concentration of toxic substances, such that they cannot support living
organisms.
The most common causes of water pollution are
- the discharge of untreated treated domestic sewages, detergents
and industrial trade effluents from point sources to rivers and streams,
- the presence of nutrients, fertilisers and pesticides in the
diffuse run off from agricultural sources to ground waters and
surface waters, and
- the presence of oils, contaminated suspended solids in the storm water runoff from urban areas to surface waters.
Water resources are the bodies of water which are available for
exploitation for beneficial purposes.
Water treatment is the purification of water, by a physical, chemical
or biochemical process, to render it suitable for a specific use.
For example, water must undergoes treatment to render it suitable
for use as drinking water.
The wavelength of light is the distance between successive crests of
the transverse electromagnetic wave. The wavelength of each colour
of visible light is different.
The Winkler titration is the back titration used to determine the
concentration of Dissolved Oxygen
in a sample of water.
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Elements ....
Compounds ....
Index
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