Pinnacle Engineers
F A Q
As a chemical compound, a water molecule contains 1 oxygen and 2 hydrogen atoms that are connected by covalent bonds.
But in nature, water does not exist in its simplest form. It is a universal solvent capable of dissolving multiple natural elements which get bonded with it, and water forms a different formula pattern from its basic (H2O) / (H-O-H).
WHAT IS WATER & HOW IT IS ?
2. A second category of water pollutants is oxygen-demanding wastes; wastes that can be decomposed by oxygen-requiring bacteria. When large populations of decomposing bacteria are converting these wastes it can deplete oxygen levels in the water. This causes other organisms in the water, such as fish, to die.
3. Third class of water pollutants is water-soluble inorganic pollutants, such as acids, salts and toxic metals. Large quantities of these compounds will make water unfit to drink and will cause the death of aquatic life.
WHAT IS WATER POLLUTION ?
WHAT ARE THE WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS ?
Water quality is determined by the presence and quantity of contaminants, by means of physical / chemical factors such as pH and conductivity, by the number of salts present and by the presence of nutrients.
Humans largely influence all these factors, as they discharge their waste in water and add all kinds of substances and contaminants to water that are not naturally present.
WHAT IS WATER PURIFICATION ?
Water purification generally means, separation of water molecules from any other kind of impurity or unwanted molecules attached with it, such as harmful contaminants / chemicals or micro organisms.
Water purification is vast concept and has variety of purposes & methods. The purification procedure contains a very wide range of steps and process which are applied as required by the purpose to serve or its end use.
The selection of steps that need to be progressed depend on the kind of impurities that are found in the water.
This can differ very much for different types of water.
Settling
Before the purification process begins some contaminants, such as soil, mud particles can be settled in a settling tank. They can then be removed easily, after they have reached the bottom of the tank. Oily substances can be collected from the surface of water when still.
Removal of dissolved solids & biological impurities
Microrganisms are not only a threat to water; they can also be an advantage when it comes to water purification processes. They can be convert harmful contaminants to harmless substances. This biological purification process usually takes a long time and it is only used for water that is polluted with contaminants that the microrganisms, usually bacteria, can convert.
Physical / chemical techniques
When treatment by microrganisms is not an option we often use different treatment techniques, called physical / chemical treatment techniques. Chemical treatment often deals with the addition of certain chemicals, in order to make sure that the contaminants change structure and can then be removed more easily. Fertilizers such as nitrates are removed this way. Removal of contaminants can also be done through more difficult specific chemical processes. It takes some experience & knowledge of water chemistry to fully understand these purification steps. Physical treatment usually deals with purification steps such as filtration.
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Chlorination
Often polluted water has to be freed from microorganisms. The water is then disinfected, usually by means of chlorination.
WHAT ARE THE BASIC STEPS INVOLVED IN WATER TREATMENT ?
Water pollution is any kind of chemical, physical or biological change in the quality of water that has a harmful effect on any living thing that drinks or uses or lives in it.
When humans drink polluted water it often has serious effects on their health.
Water is in liquid state at NTP conditions, but it often co-exists on earth in solid crystalized state i.e. (ice) if the atmospheric temperature falls below 0 degree celsius and in gaseous state i.e. (steam or vapour) if it is confronted with temperatures above 100 - 110 degree celsius.
It also exists in atmosphere as snow, fog, dew and cloud.
Clouds are the effect of evaporation of water from surface water bodies. Due to condensation, water is released again as rains.
71% of the Earth's surface is covered with water in liquid state, i.e. the oceans, which cover and contribute the largest part of earth.
4. Another class of water pollutants are nutrients; they are water-soluble nitrates and phosphates that cause excessive growth of algae and other water plants, which deplete the water's oxygen supply. This kills fish and, when found in drinking water, can be harmful for humans.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER POLLUTANTS ?
1. The first are disease-causing agents. These are bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasitic worms that enter sewage systems and untreated waste.
