Living organisms interact continuously with their environments, such as water, soil, and air, for
their survival, and any alteration in these environments would drastically affect their
survival, growth, and reproduction. In the present day, the environment is turning more
unpleasant for the survival of the living organisms as it is getting mixed with the various
undesirable components leading to serious problems. The natural resources are being
completely exploited by mankind for his wellbeing and, in turn, releasing all
undesirable products into the environment leading to pollution.
After the industrial revolution, many industries have set up throughout the world in order to meet
the demands of ever-growing population. Freshwater is one of the important raw materials in modern
industries, where it is getting mixed with various other raw materials and intermediate products
before and after the processes. Generally, this water is regarded as waste after the complete
process and even considered as one of the "essential byproduct" of any industry. The
surface water is often getting mixed with the untreated wastewater released from many industries,
leading to serious problems to the environment and living organisms.
The wastewater or industrial effluent is highly concentrated with organic, inorganic
pollutants along with solid, insoluble particles. Among all these pollutants, the
threats posed by the inorganic pollutants on the environment and living organisms are of much
concern. The compound that lacks carbon-hydrogen bonds are termed as inorganic compounds.
Inorganic compounds include heavy metals and metalloids, which are reported to pose a threat to
living organisms. Metals with higher density and toxic at lower concentrations are called as heavy
metals. Even a few lighter metals are also included in the list of heavy
metals with exception such as gold, which is not toxic.
