Which of the following is NOT a water pollutant?

The correct answer is Glacier.

Key Points

• A glacier is not a water pollutant but it is a source of fresh water.
• The main water pollutants include bacteria, viruses, parasites, fertilizers, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, nitrates, phosphates, plastics, faecal waste, and even radioactive substances.
• These substances do not always change the colour of the water, meaning that they are often invisible pollutants.
• While some metals are essential for human health at trace concentrations due to their role as coenzymes (eg, Fe and Cu), others are toxic at any concentration level (eg, Pb and Cd) Chromium (Cr VI), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) have been recognized as water, pollutants.
• Metals can cause severe toxicity in humans, depending on the concentration, the exposure pathway, and the duration of exposure.

Additional Information

• The high concentrations of arsenic (As) in drinking water in inorganic form cause skin, liver, lungs and other organs damage.
• Cr (VI) is the most toxic form of pollutant present in water, producing liver and kidney damage, internal haemorrhage and respiratory disorders. 
• Silt in water can cause kidney stones and digestive disorders.