Chemical Water Pollution

Chemical water pollution is one of the six types of Water pollution Causes.

Chemical water pollution

The most common type of water pollution is chemical water pollution. Industries use chemicals that can end up in our water systems. Chemical pollution consists of many different chemicals. For instance metals, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals used in pest control companies. Chemical water pollution hurts humans, livestock and fish that live in that environment. Chemical water pollution is very toxic to aquatic life, inhibiting their growth, affecting reproduction or even causing death.

Mercury as chemical pollutant

An example of chemical water pollution that is now forming a threat to human health as well as mercury in fish. Mercury was and is always a chemical that will be in fish and in the ocean. However, more recently the amount of mercury has increased in the waters and in the fish as well. If humans eat fish with mercury contamination, humans will get contaminated as well. The reason why there is more mercury in the ocean and in fish is because of human-caused pollution due to industrial activity. For instance, coal-fired electricity generation, smelting and incineration of waste. This will result in more airborne mercury and eventually water. Mercury is a bioaccumulation chemical which means it will build up in the tissue of an organism. The higher up a food chain an organism is, the more mercury it will have in its body. Meaning that if humans eat fish that consist of a lot of mercury due to our own industry, we get contaminated as well and store the mercury in our tissue. Exposure to mercury in fetuses can cause neurological conditions.