Keywotrds H Flashcards
Particulate Matter
Matter made of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air.
Montreal Protocol
a global agreement to protect the ozone layer by eliminating ozone-depleting substances
Zooplankton
Small, free-floating aquatic microorganisms.
Allergens
Foreign substances that cause allergies.
Acute Toxicity
The adverse effects of a substance that result either from a single or multiple exposures in a short period of time.
Dead Zones
Areas of water bodies where aquatic life cannot survive because of low oxygen levels.
Coal Ash
Whatever waste is leftover after coal is combusted
Sediment Pollution
Where toxic chemicals can become absorbed into sediment particles and then transported to and deposited in other areas.
Primary Sewage Treatment
A procedure that removes material that will either float or readily settle out via gravity.
Non-Municipal Solid Waste
Waste that is not created by community activities or residential/commercial establishments.
Solid Waste Per Capita
The amount of municipal solid waste produced by the average American.
CERCLA
Provided a Federal “Superfund” to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites as well as other emergency releases contaminants into the environment
stratospheric zone
second layer of the atmosphere
infrared radiation
heat; given off by warm objects
pathogens
a bacterium, virus or microorganism that can cause disease
re-emerging disease
a disease that comes back after a significant decline
ED50
jr
prospective studies
a study that monitor those who may come into contact with harmful chemicals in the future.
oligotrophic
a lake with a small amount of plant life
non-point source pollution
where diffused pollution enters bodies of water rather than specific points.
safe drinking water act
an act passed in 1974 to protect safe drinking water in the US
dematerialization
the reduction of materials used within the production of a product to reduce it’s environmental impact
acid deposition
any form of precipitation with acidic components that fall to the ground in wet or dry forms
positive feedback
accelerates a temperatures rise
infectious agents
organisms that are capable of producing infection or infectious disease
emerging disease
infectious disease that has newly appeared in a population
threshold level
the exposure level or dose of an agent above which toxicity or adverse health effects can occur
retrospective studies
a study that monitors people who have been exposed to an environmental hazard at some time in the past
eutrophication
a natural process that results from accumulation of nutrients in bodies of water
radioactive substances
atoms that decay naturally; produces several types of radiation
point source pollution
type of pollution that comes from a single identifiable source
Clean Water Act
the act governing pollution control and water quality of the nation’s waterways
Pollution Prevention Act
the act that requires industries to reduce pollution at its source
tropospheric ozone
ground level ozone not emitted directly into the air
indoor air pollution
refers to the air quality
kyoto protocol
the objective of the unfccc to reduce the onset of global warming
life expectancy
life expectancy at birth in the united states
dose amount
diluent use for dosage. monovalent
mcl
potential health effects from long-term exposure above the mcl
do
solved oxygen
ppm
pages per minute a measurement of printing speed
tertiary sewage treatment
sewage treatment plants in cities that can afford them may include tertiary treatment with disinfection
leachate
a solution resulting from leaching as of soluble costituents from soil
phytoremediation
definition a process of decontaminating soil or water by using plants and trees to absorb or break down pollutants
Carcinogen
compounds which are cancer inducing
Global Distillation Effect
The reason why certain substances are transported into colder environments
Coral Reefs
Structures and often ecosystems of the ocean which are made from limestone
Endocrine Disruptors
Any substances which interfere with the endocrine system in the body
Chronic Toxicity
Effects which occur after administration of a test sample repeatedly for a large amount of one’s life span
Hypoxic zone
An area in water with very low oxygen levels
BOD/Biochemical Oxygen Demand
The amount of oxygen microorganisms consume in order to decompose organic matter in water
VOCs/Volatile Organic Compounds
Gases/chemicals released in the air from products with high vapor pressure and low water solubility
Secondary Sewage Treatment
This removes a large amount of organic life in sewage using the bacteria in the sewage
Sanitary Landfills
A modern way to decompose waste into biologically and chemically immobile materials in an isolated area
Bioremediation
A process of using living organisms to remove contaminants from soil and water
Industrial smog
where factories burn fossil fuels such as coal
Radiative forcing
the change in energy in the atmosphere caused by natural factors in climate change
Acute disease
come on rapidly, and are accompanied by distinct symptoms that require urgent or short-term care
Persistence
the length of time a contaminant remains in the environment
Algal bloom
is a rapid increase in the population of algae in freshwater or marine water systems
Stockholm Convention
is a global treaty that aims to protect human health and the environment from the effects of persistent organic pollutants
E coli
is a bacteria that normally is an important part of the healthy intestinal tracts of humans and animals.
man made pollutants
a byproduct of human actions such as consumption, waste disposal, industrial production, trasnportation, and energy generation
greenhouse effect
the way in which heat is trapped close to the earths surface
chronic disease
conditions that last 1 year or more and requires ongoing medical attetnion or limit activities of daily living or both
natural decomposers
organism that breaks down dead organic materials
LD50
the amount of material given all at once, which causes death of 50% of a group of test animals
synergistic interactions
interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect greater than the sum of the individual elements
artifical eutrophication
when humans artifically cause and overabundance of nutrients in an ecosystem
NPDES
national pollutant discharge elimination system - adresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the US
bottle bills
another name for “conatiner diposite law” - requires a minimum refundable deposit on beer, soft drink, and other beverage containers in order to ensure a high rate of recycling and reuse
Ganga Action Plan
A plan to protect the river from the hazards of pollution
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from cradle to grave.
Integrated waste management
A system for reducing, collecting, recycling and disposing of waste products generated
primary air pollutant
pollutants formed/emitted from particular sources
scrubbers
a device used to remove carbon dioxide from waste streams
IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - a group dedicated to advancing knowledge on climate change
neurotoxins
a poison that affects the nervous system
bioaccumulation
the build up of chemicals/pesticides in an organism
red tide
a discoloration of water caused by red dinoflagellates
DDT
a persistently lingering pesticide that is now banned in most countries
fecal coliform test
a test for specific coliform bacteria in water
fluoridation
adding fluoride to water until the amount reaches about 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water
e-waste
discarded electronic appliances that could be refurbished or recycled
dioxin
a highly toxic and lingering chemical that is a byproduct of burning or herbicide production
