impurities
n. plural-onlyn. small amounts of dirty or unwanted substances that are found inside something else. You often hear this word when talking about cleaning water or metal.
n. unwanted substances or elements that contaminate a pure material or compound. Often refers to chemical or physical contaminants that degrade the quality of a substance.
The filter removes impurities from the drinking water.
The manufacturing process involves heating the metal to high temperatures to burn off any remaining impurities.
Even trace amounts of impurities in the silicon can significantly alter the electrical conductivity of the semiconductor, leading to potential failures in the finished microchip.
Typically used in the plural form to refer to the collective presence of various contaminants.