Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g., lakes, rivers, oceans,
aquifers, and groundwater). This form of environmental degradation occurs
when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into water bodies without
adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds.
Sources of Water Pollution
The following sections describe the various sources of water pollution.
Figure 9.6 Source and percentage of ocean pollutantsAIR POLLUTION
Pollutants, like mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia, fall out
of the air and into the water. They can then cause mercury contamination in fish
and the acidification and eutrophication of lakes. The oceans have absorbed
enough carbon dioxide to have already caused a slight increase in ocean
acidification. This may be causing the carbonate structures of corals, algae, and
marine plankton to dissolve.