Water pollution and water treatment chemistry

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the meaning of water pollution and water treatment for the protection of water resources. In a first step, it defines what is meant by pollution in this context. It considers definitions based on purity, on naturalness, and a utilitarian definition and highlights their limitations. The chapter then reviews the desired chemical characteristics of various types of water and corresponding water quality guidelines before outlining wastewater treatment processes with emphasis on secondary and tertiary technologies. The chapter covers the chemistry of water treatment processes as wastewater which is discharged from urban centres is one of the principal contributors to water pollution.

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Identifiers

DOI

10.1093/hesc/9780198749974.003.0019

Journal

Environmental Chemistry

Year

2017