Question

Several factories were pouring their wastes in rivers A and B. Water samples were collected from these two rivers. It was observed that sample collected from river A was acidic while that of river B was basic. The factories located near A and B are:

• A. Soaps and detergents factories near A and alcohol distillery near B.
• B. Soaps and detergents factories near B and alcohol distillery near A.
• C. Lead storage battery manufacturing factories near A and soaps and detergents factories near B.
• D. Lead storage battery manufacturing factories near B and soaps and detergents factories near A.

Answer 1

Answer: (B), (C)

Lead storage battery manufacturing factories near A and soaps and detergents factories near B.

Explanation of correct option:

Option B

• The wastes released from lead factories and alcohol distilleries are acidic.
• The wastes released from soap and detergent industries, however, are basic because the products used for the manufacture are bases.

Option C

• Waste of alcohol distillery has pH of about 4-5.i.e acidic.
• The wastes released from soap and detergent industries, however, are basic because the products used for the manufacture are bases.

Explanation of incorrect option:

Option A

• Waste of alcohol distillery has pH of about 4-5.i.e acidic.
• The wastes released from soap and detergent industries, however, are basic because the products used for the manufacture are bases.

Option D

• The wastes released from lead factories are acidic.
• The wastes released from soap and detergent industries, however, are basic because the products used for the manufacture are bases.

Therefore, the factories located near A could be either alcohol distilleries or lead storage battery manufacturing factories and those near B must be soap and detergent factories.

Thus, options B and C are correct.