Introduction

Water pollution, a critical environmental issue, arises from the contamination of water bodies by heavy metals, organic pollutants, and other hazardous substances.Key indicators of water pollution include changes in water hardness and levels of dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). These metrics help in assessing the extent of pollution and its potential impact on aquatic life and human health.

Heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, along with organic pollutants, contribute significantly to water contamination, posing serious ecological and health risks. Bioindicators, such as certain species of fish and aquatic plants, are used to monitor and signal changes in water quality, providing essential data for the development and implementation of effective water pollution control strategies.

Objectives

After going through this unit you will be able to:

1. determine parameters i.e DO, BOD & COD;

2. explain bio indicators of water pollution;

3. describe causes due to heavy metals and organic pollutants.