pol·lut·ant (p -l t nt)n. Something that pollutes, especially a waste material that contaminates air, soil, or water. |
pollutant [pəˈluːtənt]
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Environmental Science) a substance that pollutes, esp a chemical or similar substance that is produced as a waste product of an industrial process
| pollutant (p-ltnt) A substance or condition that contaminates air, water, or soil. Pollutants can be artificial substances, such as pesticides and PCBs, or naturally occurring substances, such as oil or carbon dioxide, that occur in harmful concentrations in a given environment. Heat transmitted to natural waterways through warm-water discharge from power plants and uncontained radioactivity from nuclear wastes are also considered pollutants. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  pollutant - waste matter that contaminates the water or air or soilDDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane - an insecticide that is also toxic to animals and humans; banned in the United States since 1972 CFC, chlorofluorocarbon - a fluorocarbon with chlorine; formerly used as a refrigerant and as a propellant in aerosol cans; "the chlorine in CFCs causes depletion of atmospheric ozone" halon - a compound in which the hydrogen atoms of a hydrocarbon have been replaced by bromine and other halogen atoms; very stable; used in fire extinguishers although it is thought to release bromine that depletes the ozone layer nitrogen oxide - any of several oxides of nitrogen formed by the action of nitric acid on oxidizable materials; present in car exhausts waste, waste material, waste matter, waste product - any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted; "they collect the waste once a week"; "much of the waste material is carried off in the sewers" sulfur dioxide, sulphur dioxide - a colorless toxic gas (SO2) that occurs in the gases from volcanoes; used in many manufacturing processes and present in industrial emissions; causes acid rain |
Translations
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