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What Are Some Qualities of Impure Water?

Water must be free from impurities that cause contamination, which makes water unfit for human consumption. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, impure water contains decayed vegetable matter, animal residue, human excreta and inorganic minerals, which all pollute the water. Impure water is the source of many fatal diseases like typhoid, cholera and diarrhea; therefore, it is necessary to check water for impurities.

  1. Physical Attributes

    • Impure water can be distinguished from pure water by observing its physical appearance. When a 1-inch layer of impure water is placed in a white porcelain dish, it shows a distinct color in daylight. Impure water has a foul smell and taste owing to the presence of soil, mold, bacteria, rust and spores that contaminate the purity of water.

    Organic Impurities

    • Organic impurities from toxic chemicals, manure and soil from agricultural land, waste matter from flora and fauna and excreta from humans make water impure when rivers are contaminated by these organic impurities. Impure water contains a large proportion of organic impurities that endanger human existence. Organic impurities in impure water are greater than 1 part by weight in 100,000 parts of water.

    Inorganic Impurities

    • Several harmful inorganic impurities pollute the purity of potable water. Sodium fluoride and chlorine are deleterious inorganic chemicals that make water impure. Sodium fluoride is present in pesticides, while chlorine is used in municipal water filtration systems. If the dry inorganic matter is greater than 3 parts by weight in 100,000 parts of water, and chlorine is greater than 1 part by weight in 100,000 parts of water, then water becomes impure.

    Cause of Health Problems

    • Impure water is a major cause of health problems that claim the lives of children, adults and senior citizens around the world. It causes health problems in the digestive tract, including typhoid, cholera and diarrhea. Regular intake of impure water containing chlorine destroys beneficial bacteria in the intestines, besides restraining the metabolism of iodine in the body. Impure water also causes hair loss and allergies of the skin.

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