It is usually taught that distilling water is an excellent way of removing impurities (such as removal of salt in the desalination process.) Given the volatility of many water pollutants, including some nitrogen oxides, does distillation always result in only water (H2O) or can some other substances be evaporated from heavily polluted water and wind up in the end product? Would distillation remove landfill leachate from water?

Question from Deborah Wasylik's class at Dr. Phillips High School

Answer from Dr. Srinivasan from Brown and Caldwell, environmental engineering and consulting firm and a member organization of the Water Environment Federation.

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