contaminate
Introduce harmful substances
To contaminate something is to make it impure or unsuitable by introducing a harmful or unwanted substance.
Water supplies can be contaminated by industrial runoff, food by bacteria, and crime scenes by careless handling of evidence.
The word extends beyond physical pollution to abstract corruption: His judgment was contaminated by personal bias.
Contaminated materials require decontamination before they're safe to use or consume again.
Make impure
- diluteReduce by adding solvent
- tamperInterfere harmfully
- doctorLicensed medical healer
- falsifyDistort the truth
debase · impurity · adulterant · additive · substitute · mislabel · counterfeit · cut
Interfere harmfully
- compromiseAgreement through mutual sacrifice
- taintMake impure
- handlingTreatment or management
- chain of custodyDocumented evidence handling sequence
forensic · DNA · fingerprint · trace · preserve · integrity · specimen · sample
Disease-causing microorganism
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- microbeMicroscopic living organism
- germDisease-causing microorganism
contagion · outbreak · transmission · vector · salmonella · listeria · norovirus · bloodborne
Substances released into air
- effluentDischarged liquid waste
- smogSunlight-activated urban pollution
- runoffExcess water drainage
- groundwaterWater in underground rock
leachate · particulates · oil spill · industrial waste · pesticides · heavy metals · sewage · wastewater
taint
Make impure
falsify · debase · impurity · adulterant · additive · substitute · mislabel · counterfeit · cut · stretch
tamper
Interfere harmfully
- compromiseAgreement through mutual sacrifice
- taintMake impure
- handlingTreatment or management
chain of custody · forensic · DNA · fingerprint · trace · preserve · integrity · specimen · sample · collection
pathogen
Disease-causing microorganism
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- microbeMicroscopic living organism
germ · contagion · outbreak · transmission · vector · salmonella · listeria · norovirus · bloodborne · fecal
emissions
Substances released into air
groundwater · leachate · particulates · oil spill · industrial waste · pesticides · heavy metals · sewage · wastewater · aquifer
decay
Gradual organic breakdown
bacteria · rancid · perishable · decompose · putrefy · ferment · curdle · sour · oxidize · shelf life
radiation
Energy propagation through space
cesium · plutonium · uranium · Chernobyl · Fukushima · reactor · meltdown · half-life · Geiger counter · irradiate
- contaminated waterImpure liquid with pathogens
- bacterial contaminationHarmful microbes present
- oil contaminationHarmful petroleum in environment
- lead contaminationToxic heavy metal presence
- water contaminationHarmful substances in drinking supply
- cross contaminationTransfer of harmful substances
contaminated, contamination, contaminant, uncontaminated, decontaminate, contaminating, contaminates, decontaminated, contaminants