Heavy Metals Pollution in Water

HEAVY METALS POLLUTION IN WATER
Generally the water pollution is described as the presence in water of enough harmful or objectionable material to damage the water's quality.
Water pollution has many sources and characteristics. Humans and other organisms produce bodily wastes which enter rivers, lakes, oceans and other surface waters; Industry is creating new chemicals each year, all of which eventually find their way to water. In high concentrations these wastes result in bacterial contamination and excessive nutrient loading (eutrophication). Inorganic industrial wastes are much tricker to control and potentially more hazardous Industries discharge a variety of toxic compounds and heavy metals, and wastewater from industrial process may also be too hot or too low in dissolved oxygen to support life.
First of all, we want to mention about the heavy metal sources which cause to water pollution.

Common Metals and their sources
    • Lead: leaded gasoline, tire wear, lubricating oil and grease, bearing wear
    • Zinc: tire wear, motor oil, grease, brake emissions, corrosion of galvanized parts
    • Iron: auto body rust, engine parts
    • Copper: bearing wear, engine parts, brake emissions
    • Cadmium: tire wear, fuel burning, batteries
    • Chromium: air conditioning coolants, engine parts, brake emissions
    • Nickel: diesel fuel and gasoline, lubricating oil, brake emissions
    • Aluminum: auto body corrosion

THE EFFECTS OF HEAVY METALS TO HUMAN HEALTH

Heavy metals are natural components of the Earth's crust. They cannot be degraded or destroyed. To a small extent they enter our bodies via food, drinking water and air. As trace elements, some heavy metals (e.g. copper, selenium, zinc) are essential to maintain the metabolism of the human body. However, at higher concentrations they can lead to poisoning. Heavy metal poisoning could result, for instance, from drinking-water contamination (e.g. lead pipes), high ambient air concentrations...