4. Pollutant Characteristics

Try these first

1. 1.

   What is a pollutant?

   Hint

   Think about substances that can harm air, water, or soil.

2. 2.

   Name one exposure pathway.

   Hint

   How can pollutants enter the body?

3. 3.

   What is the primary route for inhalation exposure to pollutants?

   • Ingesting contaminated food
   • Breathing in polluted air
   • Touching hazardous materials

   Hint

   What do you do every day that involves air?

4. 4.

   True or False: Pollutants can only come from industrial sources.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Think of everyday activities at home or outside.

5. 5.

   Given a scenario where a factory emits a new chemical pollutant into the air, analyze the potential health effects on nearby communities.

   Hint

   What are the routes through which people near the factory come into contact with the pollutant?

6. 6.

   Imagine a chemical spills in a river. Discuss the fate and processes it undergoes in the water and soil.

   Hint

   Remember the environmental compartments and how pollutants behave in water versus soil.