Pollutant - GCSE Chemistry Definition

Reviewed by: Richard Boole

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A pollutant is any harmful substance released into the environment that can damage the air, water, or land. Pollutants can come from many sources, such as factories, vehicles, and household products. They can harm human health, damage ecosystems, and contribute to global problems like climate change and acid rain. In GCSE Chemistry, understanding pollutants is important for learning how to reduce their impact and protect the environment. Common examples of pollutants include carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and plastic waste.

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Richard Boole

Reviewer: Richard Boole

Expertise: Chemistry Content Creator

Richard has taught Chemistry for over 15 years as well as working as a science tutor, examiner, content creator and author. He wasn’t the greatest at exams and only discovered how to revise in his final year at university. That knowledge made him want to help students learn how to revise, challenge them to think about what they actually know and hopefully succeed; so here he is, happily, at SME.

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