Given below are two statements:

Statement I: Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) are among the most commonly found contaminants in groundwater.
Statement II: The concentration of VOCs in groundwater is much less compared to that in surface waters.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is C

· Statement I is true because VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals), such as industrial solvents, fuels, and pesticides, are commonly found in contaminated groundwater.
· Statement II is false because VOC concentrations are often higher in groundwater than in surface water due to the slow degradation and accumulation of VOCs in confined aquifers. Groundwater does not have the same aeration as surface water, so VOCs tend to persist longer.
Information Booster:
VOCs in groundwater are often sourced from leaking underground storage tanks, landfills, and industrial discharges.
Surface water is exposed to more sunlight and air, which help in the breakdown of VOCs compared to groundwater.