Unit 8 Vocabulary

Question 1

a diffuse area that produces pollution.

Answer 1

nonpoint source

Question 2

refuse collected by municipalities from households, small businesses, and institutions

Answer 2

municipal solid waste (MSW)

Question 3

any impaired function of the body with a characteristic set of symptoms

Answer 3

Disease

Question 4

a study that exposes organisms to different amounts of a chemical and then observes a variety of possible responses, including mortality or changes in behavior or reproduction

Answer 4

Dose-response studies

Question 5

an experiment that exposes organisms to an environmental hazard for a long duration

Answer 5

Chronic studies

Question 6

A chemical that interferes with the normal functioning of hormones in an animal’s body

Answer 6

Endocrine disruptors

Question 7

An experiment that exposes organisms to an environmental hazard for a short duration.

Answer 7

Acute studies

Question 8

recycling a product into the same product

Answer 8

closed-loop recycling

Question 9

Recycling one product into a different product

Answer 9

open-loop recycling

Question 10

creation of organic maatter (humus) by decomposition under controlled conditions to produce an organic-rich material tha enhances soil structure, cation exchange capacity, and fertility

Answer 10

compost

Question 11

liquid that contains elevated levels of pollutants as a result of having passed through municipal solid waste (MSW) or contaminated soil

Answer 11

leachate

Question 12

the amount of oxygen a quantity of water uses over a period of time at specific temperatures

Answer 12

biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

Question 13

describes a lake with a high level of productivity

Answer 13

eutrophic

Question 14

the increase in chemical concentration in animal tissues as the chemical moves up the food chain

Answer 14

biomagnification

Question 15

describes a lake with a low level of productivity

Answer 15

oligotrophic

Question 16

a distinct location from which pollution is directly produced

Answer 16

point source

Question 17

a dramatic change in water temperature that can kill organisms

Answer 17

thermal shock

Question 18

liquid, solid, gaseous, or sludge waste material that is harmful to humans or ecosystems

Answer 18

hazardous waste

Question 19

The common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); a 1980 US federal act that imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, funds the cleanup of abandoned and non-operating hazardous waste sites, and authorizes the federal government to respond directly to the release or threatened release of substances that may pose a threat to human health or the environment

Answer 19

Superfund

Question 20

an approach to waste disposal that employs several waste reduction, management, and disposal strategies in order to reduce the environmental impact of MSW

Answer 20

Integrated Waste Management

Question 21

a species that indicates whether or not disease-causing pathogens are likely to be present

Answer 21

indicator species

Question 22

a chemical that interferes with the normal development of embryos or fetuses

Answer 22

teratogen

Question 23

an engineered ground facility designed to hold municipal solid waste with as little contamination of the surrounding environment as possible

Answer 23

sanitary landfill

Question 24

a systems tool that looks at the materials used and released throughout the lifetime of a product–from their procurement of raw materials through their manufacture, use, and disposal

Answer 24

life-cycle analysis

Question 25

the length of time a chemical remains in the environment

Answer 25

persistence