ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCES THAT POLLUTE WATER - ENVIRONMENT - 2026

The main environmental effects caused by substances that pollute the water are the alteration of the aquatic ecosystem, the excessive growth of harmful aquatic plants and the decrease in oxygen content, among others.

All these environmental effects refer to damage caused to the environment, caused mainly by human activity.

Using polluting substances modifies and deteriorates the quality of the waters. These substances can be:

- Chemicals used in agriculture, such as fertilizers and pesticides.

- Organic waste such as oils and fats.

- Organic chemical compounds, such as oil, gasoline, plastics, pesticides and detergents.

- Inorganic chemicals, such as acids, salts, or toxic metals such as mercury or lead.

Surface and groundwater pollution affects the environment and around 1.2 billion people in the world.

The 5 most important environmental effects

1- Alteration of the aquatic ecosystem

One of the main environmental effects produced by polluting substances in water is damage to the aquatic ecosystem.

Water pollution reduces the diversity of marine species, destroying their habitat by seriously endangering the ideal conditions for animals and plants to survive.

2- Excessive growth of harmful aquatic plants

The polluting substances in the water produce the so-called harmful algal blooms (red tides), caused by the increase in microalgae. The color they produce in the waters is characteristic.

This effect generates a high concentration of toxins, causing an environmental imbalance. This affects marine species, water quality, and fishing activity.

It also prevents photosynthesis, an oxygen-producing activity, from taking place, which makes aquatic life impossible.

3- Decrease in oxygen content

The amount of oxygen present in the waters determines its degree of toxicity. Micro-organisms need oxygen to degrade biodegradable organic matter in wastewater.

A good quantity of oxygen ensures a good quality of the waters. If the water is contaminated by any substance, there will be little oxygen and the disappearance of animal and plant species will occur.

4- Global warming

UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) and HABITAT (United Nations Human Settlements Program) have declared that there has been a large death of minors due to water pollution.

90% of the water that is discharged in developing nations is dumped into oceans, lakes and rivers without treatment, creating areas in the seas and oceans where there is no oxygen.

This causes emissions of methane gas and nitrous oxide in the water, generating global warming.

Water pollution by high concentrations of organic and inorganic carbon causes methane.

Methane being a colorless, flammable and non-toxic gas, it is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming of the planet.

Water pollution from mineral fertilizers in the soil forms nitrous oxide. This is a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect because it attacks the ozone layer.

On the other hand, the high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, generated as a consequence of the burning of fossil fuel, are captured by the oceans. In this ecosystem the gas dissolves, generating carbonic acid.

5- Decrease in soil fertility

Groundwater contamination is difficult to determine. However, agricultural pollution from the application of inorganic fertilizers and animal manure is a serious environmental problem.

Likewise, the use of pesticides has terrible consequences for the living beings that live there, as well as the loss of soil fertility.

The absence of treatment of domestic wastewater, and of adequate agricultural and industrial production methods, alter the quality of groundwater.

Israel is famous for its achievements in agriculture, even though more than half the country's land area is arid desert. Its policies include the replacement of chemicals by biological methods.

References

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