pollutant

noun

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pol·lut·ant | \ pə-ˈlü-tᵊnt

Definition of pollutant

: something that pollutes

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Examples of pollutant in a Sentence

filtered the pollutants out of the water

Recent Examples on the Web When combined with nitrogen oxide, the two can react and form the pollutant ozone, or smog. — Halle Parker | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, "Environmental groups oppose Shintech's Louisiana expansion over air pollution concerns," 2 Feb. 2021 Opponents of the project argue that the dredging will release PCBs into the river, but the Basin Commission ruled that proper mitigation procedures should be sufficient to contain the pollutant. — Washington Post, "Proposal to build LNG terminal on Delaware River could pose early test for the Biden administration," 5 Jan. 2021 That means if a million people were continuously exposed to the same concentration of the pollutant for 70 years, 130 people would likely contract cancer as a result. — Halle Parker | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, "'There are no more vacancies:' Advocates say proposed Ascension Parish plant isn't welcome," 15 Dec. 2020 The Seattle Times reports that there are roughly 3.1 billion tires globally manufactured each year, painting a picture of a dauntingly pervasive pollutant. — Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, "Researchers Reveal Why Seattle Salmon Bite the Dust After Rainstorms," 7 Dec. 2020 The pollutant is particularly problematic for waters near busy roads. — Lynda V. Mapes, Anchorage Daily News, "Killer of returning Puget Sound salmon is hidden in plain sight, scientists say," 4 Dec. 2020 Natural gas is mostly made up of methane, a climate pollutant whose contribution to climate change is 85% greater than carbon dioxide, city staff said in a report. — Sarah Ravani, SFChronicle.com, "Oakland bans natural gas in new residential and commercial buildings," 1 Dec. 2020 Brian Cain, spokesman for Extraction Oil and Gas, said the company has continually monitored the air near the wells for the last eight months and maintains there have been no levels of air pollutant that are harmful to health. — Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, "Parents, educators at Greeley school petition governor to shut down nearby oil and gas wells," 23 June 2020 The difference is even less after accounting for methane, a pollutant that leaks from gas infrastructure and traps heat in the atmosphere far more powerfully than carbon dioxide over the short term. — Sammy Roth Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, "The ‘war on coal’ is over. The next climate battle has just begun," 17 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pollutant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.