Chemical pollution

xiaohua Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:20 am

Chemical pollution is caused by industrial effluent, agricultural drain and domestic sewage. Industries like metallurgy, electromechanics, galvanoplastics, papermaking, the leather making, petroleum, pesticides, fertilizer, food, printing and dyeing, mineral processing contain most toxic pollutants. Pesticides, fertilizer, and the fallen leaves and branches of crops in agricultural drain and aerobiotic organic substances in domestic sewage are also the reasons for water pollution.

There are many damages of chemical pollution. First, aerobiotic organic substances cause the dramatic decrease of water oxygen. Second, toxic substances (like cyanide, arsenide and pesticide) cause chronic poisoning of aquatic life. Third, mercury, copper, lead and other heavy metals not only cause acute poisoning of aquatic life, but also accumulate in living beings. Fourth, arsenic, chromium, nickel, reaming, aniline, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbon cause mutation, teratogenesis and cancers. Fifth, organochlorine compounds like OCPs, PCB poison baby fishes and shrimps or accumulate in their bodies, decreasing their reproductive capacity. Such compounds threat life of the creature at the top of the food chain.

Then how can we control the chemical water pollution? First, industries try to reform production process to reduce the toxic substances. Second, people should save water and reduce the volume of wastewater. Third, people need to purify as much wastewater as possible and make use of it. Fourth, discharging of toxic and harmful chemicals is forbidden.