Contaminants: meaning, definitions and examples

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contaminants

[kənˈtæmɪnənts ]

Definition

^{Context #1 | Noun}

pollution

Substances that make something impure by making it less clean or less pure, typically by the addition of waste or unwanted elements.

Synonyms

impurities, pollutants, toxins.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
contaminants	Use when something is made dirty, harmful, or unusable due to the presence of unwanted substances. It can refer to any type of contamination, including chemical, biological, or physical forms. The water was tested for contaminants The laboratory is working on methods to detect and remove contaminants from the environment
pollutants	Best used when referring to harmful substances that negatively impact the environment, such as air, water, or soil pollution. Often used in an environmental science context. Factories are monitored for emissions of air pollutants Measures are being taken to reduce water pollutants in the river
impurities	Typically used in contexts where the focus is on the presence of unwanted, foreign elements within a substance that reduce its quality or purity. Often used in industrial, chemical, and food contexts. The silver is refined to remove impurities The quality of the gasoline is checked for impurities
toxins	Used when referring to poisonous substances, typically produced by living organisms, that can cause harm to living beings. Commonly used in medical, health, and biological contexts. The bacteria produce toxins that can cause severe illness Scientists are studying methods to neutralize these toxins

Examples of usage

Water contaminants can include chemicals, microorganisms, and other pollutants.
Air contaminants such as smoke and exhaust fumes can have harmful effects on human health.
Contaminants in food can lead to food poisoning and other health issues.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The word comes from the Latin 'contaminare', which means to make impure by mixing.
The prefix 'con-' means 'together' and 'taminare' relates to 'touching', indicating something is mixed together with impurities.

Environmental Science

Common contaminants include chemicals from factories, pesticides from agriculture, and heavy metals from mining.
Air contaminants can lead to serious health issues, including respiratory diseases and allergies.

Health and Safety

In hospitals, contaminants can lead to infections; that's why cleanliness is extremely important.
Food contaminants can cause foodborne illnesses, which can happen from dirty hands, surfaces, or equipment.

Regulatory Aspects

Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set standards to limit contaminants in drinking water.
The Safe Drinking Water Act in the U.S. identifies harmful contaminants to ensure public health.

Cultural Perspectives

Different cultures have various traditional practices to purify water, highlighting the importance of clean resources.
In some communities, rituals are performed to 'clean' spaces from contaminants seen as spiritually harmful.

Translations

Translations of the word "contaminants" in other languages:

🇵🇹 contaminantes

🇮🇳 प्रदूषक

🇩🇪 Verunreinigungen

🇮🇩 kontaminan

🇺🇦 забруднювачі

🇵🇱 zanieczyszczenia

🇯🇵 汚染物質

🇫🇷 contaminants

🇪🇸 contaminantes

🇹🇷 kirleticiler

🇰🇷 오염물질

🇸🇦 ملوثات

🇨🇿 kontaminanty

🇸🇰 kontaminanty

🇨🇳 污染物

🇸🇮 onesnaževalci

🇮🇸 mengunarefni

🇰🇿 ластаушылар

🇬🇪 დაბინძურებები

🇦🇿 çirkləndiricilər

🇲🇽 contaminantes

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,199, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.

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11196 morphine
11197 docket
11198 etching
11199 contaminants
11200 retrieved
11201 straightened
11202 hailed
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