contaminant
The Spanish word 'contaminante' translates to 'contaminant' in English. It is commonly used in the context of environmental science and refers to any substance that is introduced into the environment and causes harm or discomfort to it. 'Contaminante' could pertain to the water, air, soil among others. An example of a 'contaminante' could be pollutants from factories that are harmful to the environment.
Oil is a very powerful pollutant.
This sentence is a simple statement declaring that oil, a substance we use every day, is a potent pollutant. The use of 'contaminante' here denotes something that is harmful or damaging to the environment. Note that the word 'contaminante' is used as an adjective here, modifying the noun 'petróleo'.
Polluted air can cause health problems.
This sentence is a factual statement indicating the harmful effects of polluted air (el aire contaminante) on human health. In this context, 'contaminante' is used as an adjective finely describing the quality of the air that can bring about health issues.
We have to reduce the use of polluting materials.
This statement is a call to action to minimize the use of materials that contribute to pollution. The term 'materiales contaminantes' signifies any substances that, when used or discarded, contribute to environmental pollution. 'Contaminantes' in this sentence acts as an adjective, describing the type of materials that need to be reduced.