EFFECTS
IMPURITIES
SUSPENDED IMPURITIES
Microscopic organisms
Some cause disease
Algae
Cause taste, odor, color, turbidity
All solids
Cause murkiness or turbidity
DISSOLVED IMPURITIES
SALTS
CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM
Bicarbonate
Causes alkalinity, hardness
Carbonate
Causes alkalinity, hardness
Sulfate
Causes hardness, evaporating scaling
Chloride
Causes hardness corrosive in boilers
SODIUM
Bicarbonate
Causes alkalinity
Carbonate
Causes alkalinity
Sulfate
Causes foaming in steam boilers
Fluoride
Causes mottled enamel of developing
teeth in children *
Chloride
Causes salty taste
IRON
Causes taste, red water, incrustations on metals
MANGANESE
Causes black or brown water
VEGETABLE DYE
Causes color, acidity
GASES
Oxygen
Causes corrosion of metals
Carbon dioxide
Causes acidity, corrosion of metals
Hydrogen sulfide
Causes odor, acidity, corrosion of metals
Nitrogen
Causes no effect
* Fluoride, if excessive (over 1 mg/L), may harm children's teeth. In lower
concentrations, it increases resistance to dental decay.
Table 1-2. Common impurities in water.
MD0160
1-11
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