En el libro Smart Water Quality Monitoring: Artificial Intelligence, Automation and Analytical Chemistry
Springer Nature, Cham, Suiza
Resumen:
Water contamination is a global issue with significant ecological, social, and economic consequences. This chapter examines the origins of water pollution, differentiating between natural and anthropogenic sources, and categorizes key pollutants, including organic, inorganic, microbiological, and emerging pollutants. It also explores their environmental pathways, persistence, and interactions within aquatic ecosystems.
The ecological impacts of contamination are analysed, with emphasis on eutrophication, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification. These processes not only disrupt biodiversity and ecosystem services but also pose risks to human health through waterborne exposure and trophic transfer. Case studies illustrate how pollution sources and contaminant dynamics vary across different geographical and climatic contexts.
Furthermore, the chapter discusses current challenges in water quality management, highlighting the role of monitoring strategies in pollution assessment and mitigation. Advances in real-time monitoring and predictive models offer new tools for tracking contamination trends, enabling more effective regulatory and remediation efforts. Ensuring the sustainability of water resources requires an integrated approach that combines scientific research, policy development, and technological innovation to address both existing and emerging threats to aquatic ecosystems.
Resumen divulgativo:
Este capítulo analiza las fuentes y tipos de contaminación del agua y sus efectos ecológicos, destacando procesos como eutrofización y bioacumulación, y el papel clave de la monitorización continua, sensores inteligentes e inteligencia artificial para la protección de los ecosistemas acuáticos.
Palabras clave: Water quality · Pollution sources · Contaminant characteristics · Ecological impact · Monitoring technologies
Editores: D. Gutiérrez, et al.
ISBN: 978-3-032-03048-1
DOI: 
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-03049-8_2
DOI del Libro:
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-03049-8
Publicado: 2026
Cita:
C. Morales-Polo, M.M. Cledera-Castro, "Sources and Effects of Water Contamination: Characteristics and Ecological Implications", en Smart Water Quality Monitoring: Artificial Intelligence, Automation and Analytical Chemistry, D. Gutiérrez, et al. Ed(s). Cham, Suiza: Ed. Springer Nature, 2026, pp. 29-57, doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-03049-8_2
IIT-26-044L
