Any of several processes in which undesirable impurities in water are removed or neutralized; for example, chlorination, filtration, primary treatment, ion exchange, and distillation. It includes treatment of WASTE WATER to provide potable and hygienic water in a controlled or closed environment as well as provision of public drinking water supplies.

Physical reactions involved in the formation of or changes in the structure of atoms and molecules and their interactions.

Means or process of supplying water (as for a community) usually including reservoirs, tunnels, and pipelines and often the watershed from which the water is ultimately drawn. (Webster, 3d ed)

Water that is intended to be ingested.

Rendering pathogens harmless through the use of heat, antiseptics, antibacterial agents, etc.

A process of separating particulate matter from a fluid, such as air or a liquid, by passing the fluid carrier through a medium that will not pass the particulates. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)

The presence of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in water. This term is not restricted to pathogenic organisms.

A clear, odorless, tasteless liquid that is essential for most animal and plant life and is an excellent solvent for many substances. The chemical formula is hydrogen oxide (H2O). (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)

The sum of the weight of all the atoms in a molecule.

Water containing no significant amounts of salts, such as water from RIVERS and LAKES.

Fluids composed mainly of water found within the body.

A chromatographic technique that utilizes the ability of biological molecules to bind to certain ligands specifically and reversibly. It is used in protein biochemistry. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)

Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.

Separation technique in which the stationary phase consists of ion exchange resins. The resins contain loosely held small ions that easily exchange places with other small ions of like charge present in solutions washed over the resins.

Chromatography on non-ionic gels without regard to the mechanism of solute discrimination.

Contamination of bodies of water (such as LAKES; RIVERS; SEAS; and GROUNDWATER.)