How do we test if the water is polluted or not?

Question

What is the process, materials, and laboratory equipments involved in this?

Answer 1

This depends upon the type of pollutant one is looking for.

For example, heavy metals can be determined by spectrophotometry means, or by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Volatile and even some non-volatile organic compounds can be detected and identified using gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC-MS).

The exact procedures for collecting and analyzing the specimens is varied. This science, like most which depend upon current technology, is constantly changing.

Answer 2

we can use many ways like filtration, chromatography, distillation, etc..but we have to add different chemicals to see the reactions, test a droplet of water under microscope too..