contaminant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

McAfee said he tests every batch of milk that comes out of his milking parlors, and none have been positive for E. coli, salmonella, campylobacter, listeria or any other contaminant that causes human illness.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

He said the research shows “that contaminant levels on aircraft are generally low and that health and safety standards are met.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 14, 2025

The bacteria Bacillus cereus was found to be the contaminant in the cause of all three deaths.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2024

Consumer Reports’ findings come decades after perchlorate was first identified as a contaminant in water and food.

From Salon • Aug. 8, 2024

Almost as an aside, he pointed out one possibility that other researchers hadn’t considered: all transformed cells seemed to behave identically to HeLa, he wrote, which could mean that HeLa was the contaminant.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot