Contaminants vs.

Pollutants
Contamination is simply the presence of a substance where it
should not be or at concentrations above background.

Pollution is contamination that results in or can result in adverse

biological effects to resident communities.
ALL POLLUTANTS ARE CONTAMINANTS, BUT NOT ALL
CONTAMINANTS ARE POLLUTANTS.
Contaminant is a polluting or poisonous substance that
makes something impure.
Pollutant is a substance that pollutes something,
especially water or the atmosphere.
Contaminants may be naturally occurring or man-made.
Examples of chemical contaminants include nitrogen,
bleach, salts, pesticides, metals, toxins produced by
bacteria, and human or animal drugs. Biological
contaminants are organisms in water. They are also
referred to as microbes or microbiological contaminants.
Pollutants are substances or materials which impact the
environment and its creatures thereby hampering the
quality of life. There are various types of pollutants present
in the environment which have negative effects on the
environment. Examples are industrial waste, raw sewage,
trash, toxic chemicals, asbestos, pesticides, air
contaminants from burning fossil fuel, & noise.