Pollutant

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Pollutant

Pollutant (/pəˈluːtənt/) is a substance or energy introduced into the environment that has undesired effects, or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. A pollutant may cause long- or short-term damage by changing the growth rate of plant or animal species, or by interfering with human amenities, comfort, health, or property values.

Etymology

The term "pollutant" originates from the Latin word "polluere," which means to soil, defile, or contaminate.

Types of Pollutants

Pollutants can be classified as either primary or secondary. Primary pollutants are substances directly emitted from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption, the carbon monoxide gas from a motor vehicle exhaust or sulfur dioxide released from factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact.

Related Terms

  • Air pollution: The release of pollutants into the air that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole.
  • Water pollution: The contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities.
  • Soil pollution: The presence of man-made chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment.
  • Noise pollution: The propagation of noise with harmful impact on the activity of human or animal life.
  • Light pollution: Brightening of the night sky caused by street lights and other man-made sources, which has a disruptive effect on natural cycles and inhibits the observation of stars and planets.
  • Thermal pollution: A temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant.

See Also

External links

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