contaminant
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A substance that contaminates: A contaminant is a material, chemical, or biological agent that makes something impure, unclean, or unfit for use by introducing an unwanted element. It is the thing that causes contamination.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The water test revealed the presence of a dangerous chemical contaminant.
- Industrial waste is a major environmental contaminant.
- The laboratory must be kept free of any potential contaminants to ensure accurate results.
Advanced Usage
"Emerging contaminant": A contaminant that has recently been discovered or recognized as a potential threat to the environment or human health, often due to new detection methods.
- Pharmaceuticals in drinking water are now considered emerging contaminants.
"Airborne contaminant": A contaminant that is suspended in and transported by the air.
- Workers wore masks to protect themselves from airborne contaminants in the factory.
Variants and Related Words
Contaminate (verb): To make something impure or unclean by contact or mixture with an unwanted substance.
- The oil spill contaminated the coastline.
Contamination (noun): The process or state of being contaminated.
- The contamination of the river was caused by agricultural runoff.
Synonyms
- Pollutant: A substance that pollutes something, especially air or water.
- Impurity: A substance that makes something else less pure.
- Toxin: A poison produced by a living organism; often used when the contaminant is biologically derived and harmful.
Related Phrases
"Trace contaminant": A contaminant present in very small, often barely detectable, amounts.
- The analysis was sensitive enough to identify trace contaminants in the sample.
"Point-source contaminant": A contaminant that enters the environment from a single, identifiable source, such as a pipe or a smokestack.
- The factory was fined for being a point-source contaminant of the river.
Noun
- a substance that contaminates