Which term describes the process of pollutants entering the groundwater?

The term that describes the process of pollutants entering the groundwater is "contamination." This term refers to the presence of harmful substances within the groundwater that can impair its quality and render it unsafe for consumption, ecosystem health, or other uses. Groundwater can become contaminated through various means, such as the leaching of chemicals from agricultural runoff, improper disposal of waste, or malfunctioning septic systems.

When contaminants reach the groundwater, they can spread and persist over time due to the characteristics of the aquifer and the nature of the pollutants. Understanding this process is crucial for environmental health professionals, as it directly affects public health, regulatory practices, and the management of water resources.

The other choices, such as permeation, absorption, and evaporation, describe different physical and chemical processes but do not accurately depict the specific scenario of pollutants infiltrating groundwater. Permeation refers to the movement of liquids through a material, absorption is the process where one substance becomes incorporated into another, and evaporation pertains to the transition of a substance from a liquid to a gas, none of which capture the essence of pollution entering groundwater.