contamination vs pollution

Unlike contamination, pollution is also medical term referring to the release of semen at times other than during sexual intercourse. So, depending on context, both terms are interchangeable.

I am in no way a linguist, but it is perfectly clear to me that "contamination" places the focus upon that which was previously pure, and the process of making it not pure. "Pollution" focuses upon that which makes something else not pure.

Hawkeye is right, ignore my little brain fart.

Polluted usually means to have exceeded a standard of cleanliness. (EG "the drinking water is polluted with MTBE" (MTBE "in drinking water" standard for Pa is 20 ppb, so the water IS polluted with MTBE when the concentration of MTBE reaches 20PPB)

Contamination recognizes that a chemical has been released into the water but is only measurable , its still not reached the standard by which the water becomes polluted.


Other than when we speak of reaching a standard in water, soil,or air, the two terms can often be used interchangeably.
In reality though, the word "polluted" is becoming an outdated term in environmental sciences.

Pollition is the introduction of a substance that causes harm to the environment or what is in te environment. Contamination is where a substance is introduced but does not cause any obvious harm.

You don't have to be a linguist to know your language, Hawkeye. We learn all these myriad things of language just by living it.

This blog may help answer your question, but it depends what angle you're coming from.
http://bit.ly/NXcB4i

I'd say pollution is a more general term, and could be due to a number of substances, and probably over a longer term.

Contamination is more specific.