ABSTRACT
Increasing industrialization, uncontrolled use, and exploitation of natural resources during the last several decades have caused major devastation and degradation of the Earth. Human activities have put a considerable pressure on the availability of basic human necessities such as clean water and clean air. Waste water from various industries, municipal corporations, urban and rural runoff, coupled with the increasing use of various chemicals, surfactants, fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in agriculture, and the decomposition of vegetable and animal matter discharge varying amounts of these and other chemicals into ground and surface water, making it unfit for human and animal consumption. With the rapid development of chemical, polymer, processing, and petroleum processing industries, there is a rapid increase in the amount and the variety of chemicals that are thrown into waters. This increase is attaining hazardous conditions, especially in big cities where the population is large, the demand for water is very high, and chemical industries and other industries are developing at a faster rate. In addition, the chlorination of waste water also introduces several harmful chemicals in drinking water. Some of these organic and inorganic compounds, when present in water, are toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic, and cause several ailments in humans.
