Water contaminants
Water can contain various substances of natural, agricultural, industrial, domestic origin, or substances linked to treatment and disinfection processes. Some of these substances are regulated in water intended for human consumption. Others are subject to special monitoring or scientific research due to their potential effects on health and the environment.
This encyclopedia allows you to consult fact sheets dedicated to the main contaminants likely to be present in water resources, groundwater, surface water, or distribution networks. Each contaminant will gradually have a dedicated page.
The fact sheets present, in particular, the origin of the substance, its possible industrial, agricultural, medical, or domestic use, the pathways through which it can enter the water, its documented effects on health or the environment, as well as available regulatory values.
The information is primarily based on publications and databases from recognized scientific, health, and administrative organizations, including ANSES, INERIS, BRGM, ECHA, the European Commission, the World Health Organization, the EPA, the CDC, the ATSDR, the NIH, and PubChem.
No commercial blog, affiliate site, filtration system manufacturer, or promotional content is used as a primary scientific source.
Explore contaminants by category
Metals and trace elements
Arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, aluminum, copper, manganese, nickel, selenium, and zinc.
See metals and trace elementsPesticides and herbicides
Substances used to control unwanted plants, insects, fungi, and other organisms.
See pesticides and herbicidesVolatile organic compounds
Solvents, fuels, and industrial compounds capable of contaminating soil, groundwater, and water networks.
See volatile organic compoundsDisinfection by-products
Compounds likely to form when certain disinfectants react with organic matter present in water.
See disinfection by-productsPharmaceutical residues
Medicines and associated molecules that can enter wastewater, and subsequently certain water resources in trace amounts.
See pharmaceutical residuesAromatic hydrocarbons
Compounds derived notably from combustion, fuels, tar, or certain industrial activities.
See aromatic hydrocarbonsEndocrine disruptors
Substances capable of interfering with the functioning of the hormonal system depending on their properties and the level of exposure.
See endocrine disruptorsNitrogen compounds
Nitrates and nitrites originating notably from soils, fertilizers, agricultural effluents, and the degradation of organic matter.
See nitrogen compoundsMicrobiological contaminants
Bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other microorganisms capable of altering the sanitary quality of water.
See microbiological contaminantsAlphabetical index of contaminants
A
B
C
E
L
M
N
P
T
How are the contaminant fact sheets written?
Each fact sheet is designed as an independent documentary resource. Its content is tailored to the information actually available for the substance in question.
A fact sheet may include:
- the common name and main synonyms of the substance;
- its chemical name and CAS number;
- its chemical family;
- its origin, whether natural or linked to human activities;
- its agricultural, industrial, medical, or domestic uses;
- possible pathways for water contamination;
- its behavior in soil, groundwater, and watercourses;
- documented health effects and the level of available evidence;
- known effects on the environment and aquatic organisms;
- French, European, or international regulatory values;
- the main treatment methods described in scientific literature;
- links to public organizations and scientific databases consulted;
- filtration results when a specific test report is available for the contaminant concerned.
How to interpret filtration performance?
The reduction of a contaminant cannot be inferred solely from its chemical family or the general composition of a filter. Results may vary depending on initial concentration, the chemical form of the substance, pH, temperature, flow rate, contact time, water quality, and the test protocol used.
Therefore, a fact sheet will only present Monderma performance when the substance has been clearly identified in a corresponding test report. The indicated result must reflect the conditions and limitations of the test, without extrapolation to other contaminants.
Scientific and administrative sources
The sources used are primarily selected from public bodies, health agencies, international institutions, and recognized scientific databases.
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety – ANSES;
- National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks – INERIS;
- French Geological Survey – BRGM;
- Ministry of Health;
- European Commission;
- European Chemicals Agency – ECHA;
- European Environment Agency – EEA;
- World Health Organization – WHO;
- Environmental Protection Agency – EPA;
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC;
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry – ATSDR;
- National Institutes of Health – NIH;
- PubChem and scientific publications indexed in PubMed.
Commercial blogs, comparison sites, affiliate sites, and content published by filtration system vendors are not used as primary scientific references.
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