Water pollution occurs when a body of water is adversely affected due to the addition of large amounts of materials to the water. The sources of water pollution are categorized as being a point source or a non-source point of pollution.
Types of Water Pollution
Toxic Substance -- A toxic substance is a chemical pollutant that is not a naturally occurring substance in aquatic ecosystems.
Organic Substance -- Organic pollution occurs when an excess of organic matter These decomposers grow rapidly and use a great deal of oxygen during their growth. This leads to a depletion of oxygen as the decomposition process occurs. A lack of oxygen can kill aquatic organisms.
A type of organic pollution can occur when inorganic pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation in aquatic ecosystems. High levels of these nutrients cause an overgrowth of plants and algae.
Thermal Pollution -- Thermal pollution can occur when water is used as a coolant near a power or industrial plant and then is returned to the aquatic environment at a higher temperature than it was originally.
Ecological Pollution -- Ecological pollution takes place when chemical pollution, organic pollution or thermal pollution are caused by nature rather than by human activity. Major geological events such as a volcano eruption might also be sources of ecological pollution.