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examBoard: Cambridge
examType: IGCSE
lessonTitle: Industrial Processes and Water Pollution
Industrial activities are one of the main sources of water pollution worldwide. Factories, power plants and mining operations use enormous amounts of water and often release harmful substances into waterways. Understanding how these processes affect our water is crucial for managing environmental impacts.
Key Definitions:
Manufacturing processes use water for cooling, cleaning and as part of production. These industries include textiles, paper, chemicals, electronics and food processing. Each generates different types of wastewater containing various pollutants.
Mining activities expose minerals to water and air, creating acid mine drainage. They also use chemicals like cyanide and mercury for extraction processes. These substances can leach into groundwater and surface water, causing severe contamination.
Industrial processes release a wide range of pollutants into water bodies. Understanding these substances and their impacts helps us develop effective control measures.
The textile industry is one of the largest water consumers and polluters. It uses water at nearly every production stage, from washing raw materials to dyeing fabrics.
Power plants, especially thermal and nuclear facilities, use vast amounts of water for cooling. This creates several water pollution issues:
Between 1932 and 1968, the Chisso Corporation released methylmercury in wastewater from its chemical factory into Minamata Bay. This mercury bioaccumulated in fish and shellfish, which were then eaten by local people.
The result was severe mercury poisoning (later named Minamata Disease), causing neurological damage, paralysis and death. Over 2,000 cases were officially recognised and many more were affected. This disaster led to stronger industrial pollution controls in Japan and globally.
Key lesson: Industrial pollutants can have devastating long-term health effects through bioaccumulation in the food chain.
Mining operations can severely impact water quality through several mechanisms:
When mining exposes rocks containing sulphide minerals to air and water, a chemical reaction produces sulphuric acid. This acidic water dissolves heavy metals from surrounding rock, creating toxic runoff that can persist for decades or even centuries after mining stops.
Extraction processes often use chemicals like cyanide (gold mining) or strong acids (copper extraction) that can contaminate water supplies if not properly managed.
Mine tailings (crushed rock left after ore extraction) are often stored in large ponds. If these fail, they can release massive amounts of contaminated material into waterways.
Chemical plants produce a wide range of products including plastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and industrial chemicals. Their wastewater often contains complex organic compounds, solvents, heavy metals and other toxic substances that conventional treatment plants struggle to remove.
Many of these chemicals are persistent in the environment, meaning they don't break down naturally and can accumulate in sediments and organisms.
While food processing doesn't typically release toxic chemicals, it produces wastewater with high levels of organic matter, fats, oils and grease. When discharged into waterways, these substances consume oxygen as they decompose, potentially causing fish kills.
Food processing wastewater also often contains high levels of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which can trigger eutrophication and harmful algal blooms.
Controlling industrial water pollution requires a combination of regulatory approaches, technological solutions and management practices:
The River Thames was once declared "biologically dead" due to industrial pollution and sewage discharge. In 1957, scientists found virtually no fish in the river through central London.
Through strict regulation of industrial discharges, improved wastewater treatment and environmental protection laws, the river has made a remarkable recovery. Today, the Thames supports over 125 fish species and even seals and dolphins occasionally visit.
Key lesson: With proper management and regulation, even severely polluted industrial waterways can recover.
Despite progress in many developed countries, industrial water pollution remains a serious problem globally:
Future approaches to managing industrial water pollution will likely focus on:
Industrial processes contribute significantly to water pollution through various mechanisms. Different industries produce different types of pollutants, from heavy metals and toxic chemicals to organic matter and thermal pollution. The environmental impacts can be severe, affecting aquatic ecosystems, human health and water availability.
Effective management requires understanding the specific processes and pollutants involved, implementing appropriate treatment technologies and establishing regulatory frameworks that balance economic development with environmental protection. With proper controls, even heavily industrialised areas can maintain good water quality.
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