Which pollutant type is described by soil and silt washed into water bodies?

• A. Sediments
• B. Biodegradable Wastes
• C. Nitrates and Phosphates
• D. Heavy Metals

Answer: (A)

Sediment pollution is the pollutant type described when soil and silt are washed into water bodies. When erosion and runoff carry soil from the land into streams, rivers, and lakes, fine particles become suspended or settle to the bottom. This increases turbidity, reduces light penetration, and can smother benthic habitats or clog fish gills. It also speeds up sediment deposition in reservoirs, diminishing capacity and altering aquatic ecosystems. The other options describe different types of pollution: nutrients like nitrates and phosphates fuel algal blooms, biodegradable wastes are organic matter that decomposes, and heavy metals are toxic contaminants. But the scenario of soil and silt entering water bodies points to sediment pollution.