Share this site with del.icio.us Share this site with furl Share this site with stumbleupon Share this site with google Add this site to Yahoo Bookmarks Click here to add us to your favorites Subscribe to our Feed





pollutant

Definition

In general, substance or energy introduced into the environment that has undesired effects, or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. A pollutant may cause long- or short-term damage by changing the growth rate of plant or animal species, or by interfering with human amenities, comfort, health, or property values. Pollutants may be classified by various criteria: (1) By the origin: whether they are natural or man-made (synthetic). (2) By the effect: on an organ, specie, or an entire ecosystem. (3) By the properties: mobility, persistence, toxicity. (4) By the controllability: ease or difficulty of removal.

Browse by Letter: # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z