0
Mar 29, 2011 / in Blog Articles

Not only is water running out worldwide but it’s getting more and more polluted, dirtier and dirtier by the day. There are four main categories of the causes of water pollution: municipal, industrial, mining, and agricultural. And water pollutants are either organic or inorganic.Organic Water PollutantsFood processing waste, including pathogensInsecticides and herbecides, a vast range of organohalide and other chemicalsBacteria from sewage or livestock operationsPetroleum hydrocarbons like, diesel, gasoline, jet fuels, fuel oils, motor oilsVolatile organic compounds like industrial solventsInorganic Water PollutantsPre-production industrial raw resin pelletsHeavy metals including acid mine drainageChemical waste as industrial by-productsAcidity due to industrial discharges like sulphur dioxideCoal combustion leads release of mercury into atmosphere which precipitatesSilt in surface run-off due to poor agricultural practises, from construction sites etcFertilizers in runoff from agriculture including phosphates and nitratesRadioactive substances from nuclear facilites and industrial, medical and scientific useEffects of Water PollutionIn terms of general human health effects, pesticides can … affect and damage the nervous system;cause liver damage;damage DNA and cause a variety of cancers;cause reproductive and endocrine damage;cause other acutely toxic or chronic effects.Effects of pesticide water pollution: The US EPA has found widespread contamination of waterways by Atrazine, the second most commonly used herbicide in the US. Atrazine causes feminization of male frogs even at concentrations in water as low as 0.1 part per billion. Atrazine water pollution has been noted in many countries, including South Africa, Germany, and Denmark. The Natural Resources Defense Council notes that studies indicate the chemical may be linked to a number of human cancers, including prostate cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomaHuman infectious diseases are among the most serious effects of water pollution, especially in developing countries, where sanitation may be inadequate (eg South Africa) or non-existent. Waterborne diseases occur when parasites or other disease-causing microorganisms are transmitted via contaminated water, particularly water contaminated by pathogens originating from excreta. These include typhoid, intestinal parasites, and most of the enteric and diarrheal diseases caused by bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Among the most serious parasitic diseases are amoebiasis, giardiasis, ascariasis, and hookworm.The effects of mercury on humans are already pretty well understood. Young children and foetuses are most at risk because their systems are still developing. Exposure to mercury in the womb can cause neurological problems, including slower reflexes, learning deficits, delayed or incomplete mental development, autism, and brain damage. Mercury in adults is also a problem, causing:central nervous system effects like Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease; heart disease;and, in severe cases, causing death or irreversibly damaging areas of the brain. (Source in part www. grinningplanet.com)The SolutionAuthorities are imposing greater regulation and increased fines in an attempt to preserve the water supply and improve its quality. Companies like Filcon Filters are in the forefront in the drive to help increase awareness of the problem and to assist by supplying a wide range of filtration products which remove contaminants and treat waste water.