What is the difference between contaminant and pollutant

The notable pollutants are those which can be noted quite easily such as Organic Pollutants, Metals, and Organic Compounds etc. Contaminant is the substance which has been introduced by man in to the environment through any means while pollutant can be either introduced by man or it can be introduced in to the environment naturally. Contaminant is a term mostly used to the sources of pollution that are caused due to substances which have been made by human beings. One of the most common examples is the production of harmful chemicals by different factories.

These contaminants have a long life to stay in the environment and have ability which allows them to be spread in major portion of the environment causing even more problems as compared to those caused by pollutants. Another difference between pollutants and contaminants is that pollutants can be found in environment in various forms such as smoke, chemicals etc while contaminants can be found in different things such as soil, plants, air, water, and also in waste excreted by human beings.

Your email address will not be published. Comments Absolute shit article. Only confuses the difference between contaminant and pollutant. Pollutant is a substance that causes pollution; it causes adverse effects on a resource or an environment. In simple terms, pollutants refer to the substances that pollute the environment. When a certain substance is considered as harmful in any given aspect, the substance is considered as a pollutant.

Even if it is a substance that is normally present there, when it exceeds harmless limits, the term pollution is used. Pollutants can be categorized according to the sources they are derived from. Soil pollutants, Noise pollutants, Water pollutants, and Air pollutants are some of these categories. There can be various pollutants — substances that pollute the environment — in these categories. For example, Carbon Monoxide CO which is released to the atmosphere through the combustion of fuel in engines and vehicles has many adverse effects health effects.

Some other common air pollutants include Nitrogen Dioxide, Lead, Sulfur Dioxide, particulate matter, etc. The severity of a pollutant can be measured by its chemical nature, the concentration, and the persistence. The definition of contamination varies depending on the field involved, as highlighted below. In chemistry, contamination is the presence of an impure substance that alters the outcome of a chemical reaction.

Additionally, in food chemistry, contamination refers to the presence of pathogens in food. Chemical contamination may not necessarily be caused by the introduction of a foreign substance but can occur due to a change in factors that influence a chemical process, such as heat. In radiology, contamination occurs when the level of radiation is above the normal, desired, or expected level within a human body or an environment. Some locations, such as nuclear waste sites and nuclear power plants, are highly restricted due to the presence of radioactive material.

In forensic science, contamination occurs when evidence collected at a crime scene or during an investigation is tampered with by unwanted substances such as DNA, fingerprints, or hair strands. When forensic contamination occurs, the sampled evidence is no longer valid. Pollution primarily deals with waste materials that harm the air, soil, water, and space. In most cases, pollution occurs when contaminants reach an alarming rate.

Air pollution is the presence of harmful compounds in the atmosphere, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and chlorofluorocarbons, which lead to adverse effects such as respiratory problems and depletion of the ozone layer.

Water pollution occurs when waste from domestic or commercial activities drains into bodies of water, leading to the destruction of marine life. Land pollution occurs when elements such as pesticides, plastics, heavy metals, and other harmful materials are introduced into the soil, degrading the soil fertility.