Skip Navigation

  Button that takes you to the glossary page. Button that takes you to the related links page. Button that takes you to the references page. Button that takes you to the Problem Based Learning model page. Button that takes you to the modules and activities page. Button that takes you to the teacher pages. Button that takes you back to the main page.Image map of some Water Quality puzzle pieces. Please have someone assist you with this.

Forms of Surface Water Pollution
Water pollution is "contamination of water by undesirable foreign matter." It impacts our oceans, our surface water, and our underground water. Pollution comes in many forms--some conventional and others toxic.

 Toxic Pollutants

 Conventional Pollutants
 Cadmium  Ammonia
 Copper  BOD*
 Lead   Nitrogen (and nitrate)
 Mercury  Pathogens
 Phenol  Phosphorus
 Total residual chloride  Suspended solids
*'Biochemical Oxygen Demand'(BOD) is the term used to describe the oxygen used up as suspended solids decays.

Additonal considerations are:

  • Sewage effluents
  • Thermal pollution
  • Eutrophication
  • Petroleum
  • Faecal pollution
  • Acid precipitation
  • Storm sewage discharges
  • Urban surface water runoff
  • Farm fertilizer and pesticide runoff
  • Acide mine draininge
  • Radioactive substances

Indicator of Surface Water Pollutants:

  • Suspended Sediment
  • Fecal coliform
  • Total phosphorus
  • Nitrate
  • Dissolved solids
  • Dissolved Oxygen

[ Glossary] [ Related Links ] [ References ] [ PBL Model ]

[ Home ] [ Teacher Pages ] [ Modules & Activities ]

Button that takes you back to the Water Quality main page.

HTML code by Chris Kreger
Maintained by ETE Team
Last updated November 10, 2004

Some images © 2004 www.clipart.com

Privacy Statement and Copyright © 1997-2004 by Wheeling Jesuit University/NASA-supported Classroom of the Future. All rights reserved.

Center for Educational Technologies, Circuit Board/Apple graphic logo, and COTF Classroom of the Future logo are registered trademarks of Wheeling Jesuit University.