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Environmental Dictionary A-B - Environmental Links - 1/1/2015 - Health Asbestos Asbestosis Mesothelioma Lung Cancer

Environmental Dictionary A-B

Assistant Administrator.

Atomic Absorption.

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.

AAA

American Arbitration Association.

AAR

Association of American Railroads.

AAS

American Association for the Advancement of Science.

AAEE

American Academy of Environmental Engineers.

AAES

American Association of Engineering Societies.

AANWR

Alaskan Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

AAP

Affirmative Action Plan.

AAP

Army Ammunition Plant.

AAP

Asbestos Action Program.

AARC

Alliance for Acid Rain Control.

Assembly Bill.

ABA

American Bar Association.

ABAG

Association of Bay Area Governments.

abaft

towards the stern of a ship or mobile offshore drilling rig. Farther aft, than behind a named position.

abatement

the reduction in degree or intensity of pollution.

aberration

it denotes a very slight movement in the apparent position of a star. It is caused by the rotation of the Earth, between the time the light from the star reaches the objective of the telescope and the time it reaches the eyepiece.

ABES

Alliance for Balanced Environmental Solutions.

ablation

a wastage and loss of ice and snow from the surface of an ice-sheet or glacier that is generated by melting and evaporation. It stands for a removal of rock debris by wind action.

abalation cone

this is a debris-covered cone or a pyramid of ice, or snow, built by ablation.

abalation cooling

the removal of material by evaporation or melting, on the surface of aircraft or space shuttle, that travels at hypersonic speed during re-entry. This is brought on through heating and by friction with atmosphere; it serves to preserve the craft.

ablation factor

the rate, at which a snow or ice surface wastes away.

ablation zone

the lower part of a glacier, where annual water loss exceeds snow accumulation.

ABMA

American Boiler Manufacturers Association.

abnormal pressure

a pressure, exceeding or falling below the normal pressure that we can expect at the given sea depth. The normal pressure increases make about 10.5 kPa per meter depth.

aboard

on or in a ship, an offshore drilling rig, aircraft, helicopter or space vehicle.

abrasion

it represents a mechanical wear. The process consists of scratching, rubbing, grinding or wearing away by friction. A mechanical wearing down of the earth's surface by material that is transported by ice or wind.

abrasion pH

the acidity that results from OH- or H+ ions, being absorbed at the surface of finely ground minerals, which are suspended in water.

abrasion platform

it is commonly any horizontal surface, cut by a wave into a slope, as a platform of marine origin. It is not a surface that is formed by abrasion.

abrasion resistance

this is a trait of coatings or materials, to resist mechanical surface wear that is caused by friction under ambient working conditions.

abrasive

a substance that we use for grinding, honing, lapping, superfinishing, polishing, abrasive blastcleaning, pressure blasting, peening or barrel finishing. The abrasives include natural materials such as broken up nut shells, sand, garnet, emery, corundum and diamond; the electric furnace products like aluminum oxide, silicon carbide and boron carbide; also glass and various metallic abrasives.

abrasive belt

a belt shaped product, which is coated with an abrasive that we use in production grinding and polishing.

abrasive belt polishing

finishing a workpiece with a power-driven abrasive-coated belt in order to develop a very good finish.

abrasive blasting

(surface treatment and cleaning): using dry or wet abrasive particles under air pressure for short duration of time to clean a metal surface.

abrasive disk

a disk-shaped product, coated with abrasive that we use in production. A grinding wheel, mounted on a steel plate. We use the exposed flat side for grinding.

abrasive mineral

Aluminum oxide.

abrasive test

a method that we use for testing the abrasion resistance of coatings.

abrasive wear

the removal of materials from a surface, when these are hard attached, or when loose particles slide or roll across the surface under pressure.

absolute

a chemical substance relatively free of impurities.

absolute address

an absolute address that refers to a fixed location in the computer's memory. Compare: RELATIVE ADDRESS.

absolute age

an age that is expressed in the number of years.

absolute alcohol

an alcohol, from which we have removed all traces of water.

absorb

to suck up. The penetration of a solid substance by a liquid as by capillary, osmotic, solvent, or chemical action.

absorbent

a porous body of a substance, which can soak up a penetrant.

absorption

assimilation of molecules or other substances into the physical structure of a liquid or solid without chemical reaction. An example is the absorption of water into soil.

Alternating Current.

A&C

Abatement and Control.

ACA

American Conservation Association.

ACBM

Asbestos-Containing Building Material.

accelerated weathering

laboratory tests that are designed to simulate, but also to intensify and accelerate, the destructive action of natural outdoor weathering on materials or protective films. The tests involve exposure to the artificially produced components of natural weather, e.g., light, heat, cold, water vapor, rain, ultraviolet rays and ozone. These we can arrange and repeat in given cycles.

accelerator

In radiation science, a device that speeds up charged particles such as electrons or protons.

acclimation

The physiological and behavioral adjustments of an organism to changes in the environment.

acclimatization

The adaptation over several generations of a species to a marked change in the environment.

accumulation zone

the upper part of a glacier, where annual snowfall exceeds melting and evaporation.

accumulator

an electrical storage cell that delivers the current by a reversible chemical process. A vessel, which we use to ease the control of the flow of liquid or to separate the liquid from the entrapped gas or vapor. This in time, while the liquid flows through the plant for further processing. It is the register where a computer stores the results of an arithmetic operation.

ACE

Alliance for Clean Energy.

ACEC

American Consulting Engineers Council.

ACEEE

American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

acetic acid glacial (CH3.COOH or CàH4Oà)

an acid that is colorless corrosive liquid, with a pungent smell. We produce it by oxidation of ethyl alcohol in the manufacture of vinegar or from acetylene through acetaldehyde. It is an important starting material in manufacture of cellulose acetate and metallic acetates. We use this acid also for manufacturing plastics and rubber, acetate rayon; laundry sours; printing calico and dyeing silks; preserving foods; solvent for gums, resins, volatile oils and many other substances. It is solid below 7¿C.

acetone (CH3.CO.CH3)

dimethyl ketone; we use it as solvent for fats, oils, waxes, resins, rubber, plastics, lacquers, varnishes, rubber cements. Further we use it in manufacturing plastics, chloroform and many other chemicals.

AC EXPOSURE

Alternating voltages and currents that are present on a structure, owing to the AC power system.

ACGIH

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. An organization of professionals in governmental agencies or educational institutions engaged in occupational safety and health programs. ACGIH develops and publishes recommended occupational exposure limits for chemical substances and physical agents (see TLV). (6500 Glenway Avenue, Bldg. D-7, Cincinnati, OH 45211; (513) 661-7881.

acid

an inorganic or organic compound that (1) reacts with metals to yield hydrogen; (2) reacts with a base to form a salt; (3) dissociates in water to yield hydrogen or hydronium ions; (4) has a pH of less than 7.0; and (5) neutralizes bases or alkaline media. All acids contain hydrogen and turn litmus paper red. They are corrosive to human tissue and are to be handled with care.

acid anhydride

a non-metallic oxide, e.g., SOà, SO3, or COà, which react with water to form acids.

acid brittleness

it stands for a low ductility of metal that is due to its absorption of hydrogen gas.

acid clay

when in water suspension, it is the clay, which gives off H ions.

acid cleaning

removing the adhering deposits by dissolving them with an acid solution, in that the deposited materials or binders become completely soluble. The insoluble portion of soils disintegrates or falls off.

acidosis

a condition of decreased alkalinity of the blood and tissues marked by sickly sweet breath, headache, nausea, vomiting, and visual disturbances; usually the result of excessive acid production. Tissues and CNS functions are disturbed.

ACL

Alternate Concentration Limit.

ACL

Analytical Chemistry Laboratory.

ACM

Asbestos-Containing Material.

ACO

Administrative Consent Order.

ACP

Air Carcinogen Policy.

ACQR

Air Quality Control Region.

acrid

Irritating and bitter.

acronym

a word or name that is formed by joining the first letters (or first few letters) of a series of words.

acrylan

this is the proprietary name for the compound of synthetic polymer of acrylonitrile, with vinyl acetate.

ACS

American Chemical Society.

action level

the exposure level (the material's concentration in air) at which OSHA regulations to protect employees take effect (29 CFR 1910.1001-1047); e.g., workplace air analysis employee training, medical monitoring, and record keeping. Exposure at or above the action level is termed occupational exposure. Exposure below this level can also be harmful. This level is generally one half the TLV.

action levels

refers to thresholds for contamination that trigger the need for decontamination.

activated carbon

a highly adsorbent form of carbon used to remove odors and toxic substances from gaseous emissions. In advanced waste treatment, it is used to remove dissolved organic matter from waste water.

activated sludge

an aerobic biological process for conversion of soluble organic matter to solid biomass, removable by gravity or filtration.

activated sludge process

removes organic matter from sewage by saturating it with air and biologically active sludge.

activation

means notification by telephone or other expeditious manner or, when required, the assembly of some or all appropriate members of the RRT or NRT.

activation energy

the extra amount of energy, which any particle or group of particles must obtain, to move from one energy state into another. It applies to changes in phase, as in chemical reactions and to movement of particles, as in diffusion. An energy that is required for initiating a metallurgical reaction.

active ingredient

the ingredient of a product that actually does what the product is designed to do. The remaining ingredients may be "inert".

acute health effect

health effects that usually occur rapidly as a result of short-term exposures, and are of short duration. Some examples are irritation, corrosivity (tissue destruction), narcosis, and death.EXAMPLE LAY LANGUAGE: Immediate Health Effect Adequate ventilation A condition falling within either or both of the following categories:(1) Ventilation to reduce levels of air contaminant below that which may cause personal injury or illness.(2) Ventilation sufficient to prevent accumulation to a concentration of contaminant vapor in air at a level in excess of 25 percent of the level set for the lower flammable limit.

acute lethality

the death of animals immediately or within 14 days after a single dose of or exposure to a toxic substance.

acute toxicity

any poisonous effect produced by a single short- term exposure, that results in severe biological harm or death.

ACWA

American Clean Water Association.

adaptation

a change in structure or habit of an organism that produces better adjustment to its surroundings.

ADB

Applications Data Base.

addition agent

a substance (e.g., wetting agent, inhibitor, brightener or antipit agent), which when added in somewhat small concentrations to pickling or plating solutions, modifies or controls a process that gives certain desirable physical and mechanical properties to the deposits.

addition reaction

a chemical reaction, in which a molecule, added to another molecule, containing a double bond, converts the double bond into a single bond.

adhesion

molecular attraction which holds the surfaces of two substances in contact, such as water and rock particles.

ADI

Acceptable Daily Intake.

adsorb

to collect gas or liquid molecules on the surface of another material. See absorb.adsorbent: a material, usually solid, capable of holding gases, liquids and/or suspended matter at its surface and in exposed pores. Activated carbon is a common adsorbent used in water.

adsorption

adhesion of an extremely thin layer of molecules (as of gas, solids or liquids) to the surface of solid or liquids with which they are in contact.

ADSS

Air Data Screening System.

adulterants

chemical impurities or substances that by law do not belong in a food, plant, animal, or pesticide formulation.

advanced waste water treatment

any treatment of sewage that goes beyond the secondary or biological water treatment stage and includes the removal of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen and a high percentage of suspended solids. (see: Primary, Secondary Treatment).

advisory

a non-regulatory document that communicates risk information to persons who may have to make risk management decisions.

AEA

Atomic Energy Act.

AED

Air Enforcement Division.

AEE

Alliance for Environmental Education.

AEE

Association of Energy Engineers.

AEERL

Air and Energy Research Laboratory.

aeration

a process which promotes biological degradation of organic water. The process may be passive (as when waste is exposed to air) or active (as when a mixing or bubbling device introduces the air).

aeration cell

a cell that is induced by differences in dissolved oxygen at the adjoining points.

aeration of soil and water

natural or enforced charge with air in soils and waters; the impregnation with air. An exposure to the action of air.

aeration tank

a chamber used to inject air into water.

AERE

Association of Environmental & Research Economists

aerobic

life or processes that require, or are not destroyed by, the presence of oxygen. (see: anaerobic).

aerobic biological oxidation

any waste treatment process utilizing organisms in the presence of air or oxygen to reduce the pollution load or oxygen demand of organic substance in water.

aerobic digestion (sludge processing)

biochemical decomposition of organic matter by organisms living or active only in the presence of oxygen, which results in the formation of mineral and simpler organic compounds.

aerobic organism

an organism that requires oxygen for its respiration.

aerobic treatment

process by which microbes decompose complex organic compounds in the presence of oxygen and use the liberated energy for reproduction and growth. Types of aerobic processes include extended aeration, trickling filtration, and rotating biological contactors.

aerosol

a suspension of liquid or solid particles in a gas, the particles often being in the colloidal size range. Fog and smoke are common examples of natural aerosols; fine sprays (perfumes, insecticides, inhalants, antiperspirants, paints, etc.) are man-made aerosols. Suspensions of various kinds may be formed by placing the components, together with a compressed gas, in a container (bomb). The pressure of the gas causes the mixture to be released as a fine spray (aerosol) or foam (aerogel) when a valve is opened.

AES

Auger Electron Spectrometry.

AESA

Association of Environmental Scientists and Administrators.

AFA

American Forestry Association.

AFB

Air Force Base.

AFBA

American Farm Bureau Federation.

affinity chemical

the tendency for atoms to combine and to form a chemical compound, that is near in composition, but different.

affinity

the force that causes two things to combine.

AFRCE

Air Force Regional Civil Engineers.

AFS

Air Force Station.

AFS

AIRS Facility Subsystem.

aft

toward or near the stern of the ship or offshore drilling rig.

afterburner

in incinerator technology, a burner located so that the combustion gases are made to pass through its flame in order to remove smoke and odors. It may be attached to or be separated from the incinerator proper.

AFUG

AIRS Facility Users Group.

Attorney General.

AGA

American Gas Association.

AGCA

Associated General Contractors of America.

agency, the

see EPA.

agent

any substance, force, radiation, organism, or influence that affects the body. The effects may be beneficial or injurious.

agent orange

a toxic herbicide and defoliant which was used in the Vietnam conflict. It contains (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4,5-T) and (2-4 dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D) with trace amounts of dioxin.

agglomerate

to gather fine particulates together into a larger mass.

agglomeration

the process by which precipitation particles grow larger by collision or contact with cloud particles or other precipitation particles.

agglutination

the process of uniting solid particles coated with a thin layer of adhesive material or of arresting solid particles by impact on a surface coated with an adhesive.

aggradation

building up of land surfaces by sedimentation or deposition of mineral matter. The depositional process itself. The growth of a permafrost area.

agricultural pollution

the liquid and solid wastes from farming, including, runoff from pesticides, fertilizers, and feed- lots; erosion and dust from plowing; animal manure and carcasses, crop residues, and debris.

AGST

Aboveground Storage Tanks

AHERA

Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (1986); federal law requiring LEAs to identify asbestos hazards and develop abatement plans.

AHM

Acutely Hazardous Material.

AHW

Acutely Hazardous Waste.

Artificial Intelligence.

AIA

American Institute of Architects.

AIA

Asbestos Information Association.

AIC

Acceptable Intake - Chronic.

AlChE

American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

AICPA

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

AICS

Australian Inventory Chemical Substances. A list of chemical substances which may be used commercially in Australia. Similar to TSCA Chemical Substances Inventory.

AICUZ

Air Installation Compatible Use Zones.

AID

Agency for International Development.

AIHA

American Industrial Hygiene Association.

AIHC

American Industrial Health Council.

AIME

American Institute of Metallurgical, Mining and Petroleum Engineers.

air agitation

agitation of a liquid medium through the use of air pressure injected into the liquid.

airborne particulates

total suspended particulate matter found in the atmosphere as solid particles or liquid droplets. The chemical composition of particulates varies widely, depending on location and time of year. Airborne particulates include windblown dust, emissions from industrial processes, smoke from the burning of wood and coal, and the exhaust of motor vehicles.

airborne release

release of any chemical into the air.

air changes per hour (ACH)

the movement of a volume of air in a given time; if a house has one air change per hour, it means that all of the air in the house will be replaced in a one- hour period.

air contaminant

any particulate matter, gas, or combination thereof, other than water vapor or natural air. (See: Air Pollutant).

air curtain

a method of containing oil spills, air bubbling through a perforated pipe causes an upward water flow that slows the spread of oil. It can also be used to stop fish from entering polluted water.

air-liquid interface

boundary layer between the air and the liquid in which mass transfer is diffusion controlled.

air mass

a widespread body of air that gains certain characteristics while set in one location. The characteristics change as it moves away.

air monitoring

see monitoring.

air pollutant

any substance in air which could, if in high enough concentration, harm man, other animals, vegetation, or material. Pollutants may include almost any natural or artificial composition of matter capable of being airborne. They may be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, gases, or in combinations of these forms. Generally, they fall into two main groups: (1) those emitted directly from identifiable sources; and (2) those produced in the air by interaction between two or more primary pollutants, or by reaction with normal atmospheric constituents, with or without photoactivation. Exclusive of pollen, fog, and dust, which are of natural origin, about 100 contaminants have been identified and fall into these categories: solids, sulfur compounds, volatile organic chemicals, nitrogen compounds, oxygen compounds, halogen compounds, radioactive compounds, and odors.

air pollution

the presence of contaminant substances in the air that do not disperse properly and interfere with human health.

air pollution episode

a period of abnormally high concentration of air pollutants, often due to low winds and temperature inversion that can cause illness and death.

air quality control region

an area designated by the Federal Government in which communities share a common air pollution problem, sometimes involving several States.

air quality criteria

the levels of pollution and lengths of exposure above which adverse effects may occur on health and welfare.

air quality standards

the level of pollutants prescribed by law that cannot be exceeded during a specified time in a defined area.

AIRS

Aerometric Information Retrieval System.

AISI

American Iron and Steel Institute.

Acceptable Level.

alachlor

a herbicide, marketed under the trade name Lasso, used mainly to control weeds in corn and soybean fields.

ALAPCO

Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officers.

alar

trade name for Daminozide, a pesticide that makes apples redder, firmer, and less likely to drop off trees before growers are ready to pick them. It is also used to a lesser extent on peanuts, tart cherries, concord grapes, and other fruits.

ALARA

acronym for as low as reasonably achievable. Used in radiation control.

ALC

Application Limiting Constituent.

aldicarb

an insecticide sold under the trade name Termik. It is made from ethyl isocyanate.

ALE-30

Anionic Flocculent Powder - Clarification/Settling (ETUS).

Alert

refers to a process involving the sounding of a warning signal to the public concerning the existence of an emergency situation to which they may need to respond.

algae

simple plants containing chlorophyll. Many are microscopic, but under conditions favorable for their growth they grow in colonies and produce mats and similar nuisance masses.

algal blooms

sudden spurts of algal growth, which can affect water quality adversely and indicate potentially hazardous changes in local water chemistry.

aliquot

in math, forming an exact divisor; as 5 is an aliquot of 15.

ALJ

Administrative Law Judge.

alkali

alkalis (or bases) are materials which have Ph values from 8 to 14. Alkalis with pHs between 12 to 14 are considered to be corrosive and will cause severe damage to skin and eyes.

alkalinity

capacity of water to neutralize acids, a property imparted by the water's content of carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides, and, occasionally, borates, silicates and phosphates. (abbr. Alk) - bicarbonate, carbonate, or hydrate amounts in water. Can be expressed as "M" Alk to a methyl orange titration end point or "P" Alk to a phenolphthalein end point.

alkali

broadly, any compound having highly basic properties; i.e., one that readily ionizes in aqueous solution to yield OH anions, with a pH above 7, and turns litmus paper blue. Alkalies are oxides and hydroxides of certain metals and belong to group IA of the periodic table (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr). Ammonia and amines may also be alkaline. Alkalies are caustic and dissolve human tissue. Treat alkali burns by quickly washing the afflicted area with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes. Common commercial alkalies are sodium carbonate (soda ash), NaOH, lime, lye, potash, caustic soda, KOH, water glass, regular mortar, portland cement, and bicarbonate of soda. See Acid; Base; pH.

alkali

Boiler pH Control - Boiling Water Treatment (ETUS).

alopecia

loss of hair.

alpha particle

a positively charged particle composed of 2 neutrons and 2 protons released by some atoms undergoing radioactive decay. The particle is identical to the nucleus of a helium atom.

ALR

Allergenic effects.

ALR

Action Leakage Rate.

alternate method

any method of sampling and analyzing for an air pollutant which is not a reference or equivalent method but which has been demonstrated in specific cases to EPA's satisfaction to produce results adequate for compliance.

alternative water supplies

as defined by section 101(34) of CERCLA, includes, but is not limited to, drinking water and household water supplies.

alum

a hydrated aluminum sulfate (A12 (SO4)3 14 HàO or potassium aluminum sulfate or ammonium aluminum sulfate. It contains 9.1% aluminum.

AMA

American Medical Association.

ambient

usual or surrounding conditions.

AMBIENS

Atmospheric Mass Balance of Industrially Emitted and Natural Sulfur.

ambient air

any unconfined portion of the atmosphere; open air.

ambient air quality standards

(see: criteria pollutants, National Ambient Air Quality Standards).

AMC

American Mining Congress.

AMC

Army Material Command.

Amersep MP-7

a polythiocarbonate reagent for the precipitation of chelated heavy metals (DREW).

AMIS

Air Management Information System.

amphoteric

capable of reacting in water either as a weak acid or as a weak base. For example, aluminum salts hydrolyze in water to produce a compound that may be considered a weak base, AL(OH), or a weak acid. A property of certain oxides makes them reactive both with acids and bases, AL2O3 is an example.

AMPS

Automatic Mapping and Planning System.

AMS

American Meteorological Society.

AMSA

Association of Metropolitan Sewage Agencies.

anadromous

fish that spend their adult life in the sea but swim upriver to fresh water spawning grounds to reproduce.

anaerobic

life or process that occurs in, or is not destroyed by, the absence of oxygen.

anaerobic biological treatment

any treatment method or process utilizing anaerobic or facultative organisms, in the absence of air, for the purpose of reducing the organic matter in wastes or organic solids settled out from wastes. Typically found in municipal waste treatment.

anaerobic organism

an organism that can thrive in the absence of oxygen.

analgesia

loss of sensitivity to pain.

analysis

separation and measurement of component parts.

analytes

the chemicals for which a sample is analyzed.

ANEC

American Nuclear Energy Council.

anesthesia

loss of sensation or feeling, CNS depression.

ANF-15

Anionic Flocculant - Clarification/Settling (ETUS).

ANF-30

Anionic Flocculant - Clarification/Settling (ETUS).

anhydride

a compound derived from another compound (as an acid) by removing the elements the compose water, i.e., hydrogen and oxygen.

anhydrous

"without water." Describes a substance in which no water molecules are present in the form of a hydrate or as water of crystallization.

anionic

the condition of a polymer, colloid, or large particle having exchangeable cations on its surface and an opposite, negative charge on the substrate.

anion exchange

an ion exchange process in which anions in solution are exchanged for other anions from an ion exchanger.

anions

negatively charged ions in solution e.g., hydroxyl.

ancillary equipment

means any devices including, but not limited to, such devices as piping, fittings, flanges, valves, and pumps used to distribute, meter, or control the flow of regulated substances to and from an UST.

anode

in electrolysis or electrochemical corrosion, a site where metal goes into solution as a cation leaving behind an equivalent of electrons to be transferred to an opposite electrode, called a cathode.

anodizing

the treatment of a metal surface whereby the metal is made anodic.

anorexia

loss of appetite.

anosmia

loss of the sense of smell.

anoxia

a lack of oxygen from inspired air (literally, "without oxygen"). See Hypoxia.

ANPR

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

ANSI

American National Standards Institute. A privately funded organization that identifies industrial/public national consensus standards and coordinates their development. Many ANSI standards relate to safe design/performance of equipment and safe practices or procedures. (1430 Broadway, New York City, NY 10018; (212) 642-4900).

antagonism

the interaction of two chemicals having an opposing, or neutralizing, effect on each other, or given some specific biological effect a chemical interaction that appears to have an opposing or neutralizing effect over what might otherwise be expected.

Antarctic "ozone hole"

refers to the seasonal depletion of ozone in a large area of Antarctica

anticoagulant

a chemical that interferes with blood clotting.

anti-degradation clause

part of air quality and water quality laws that prohibits deterioration where pollution levels are within the legal limit.

antibodies

proteins produced in the body by immune system cells in response to antigens, and capable of combining with antigens.

antidote

a remedy to relieve, prevent, or counteract the effects of a poison. Eliminating the poison, neutralizing it, or absorbing it are effective.

antigens

a substance that causes production of antibodies when introduced into animal or human tissue.

anuria

absence or defective excretion of urine.

ANWR

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Administrative Order.

AOC

Abnormal Operating Conditions.

AOML

Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.

APA

Acid Precipitation Act.

APA

Administration Procedure Act.

APA

American Planning Association.

APCD

Air Pollution Control District.

APCO

Air Pollution Control Officer.

APER

Air Pollution Emissions Report.

APHA

American Public Health Association.

API

American Petroleum Institute.

API gravity

an index of specific gravity defined by the American Petroleum Institute.

API separator

a simple gravity separator meeting the design standards of the American Petroleum Institute for separation of soil and solids from wastewater.

apnea

A temporary stoppage of breathing.

apnea, apneic

breathing temporarily stopped.

APPA

American Public Power Association.

appearance

the physical state of a material; e.g., powder, gas or liquid. If there is a difference between the appearance of the material and that listed on the MSDS, contact your supervisor.

applicable requirements

means those cleanup standards, standards of control, and other substantive requirements, criteria, or limitations promulgated under federal environmental or state environmental or facility siting laws that specifically address a hazardous substance, pollutant, contaminant, remedial action, location, or other circumstance found at a CERCLA site. Only those state standards that are identified by a state in a timely manner and that are more stringent than federal requirements may be applicable.

APT

Associated Pharmacists and Toxicologists.

APTI

Air Pollution Training Institute.

APTMD

Air, Pesticides, and Toxics Management Division.

APWA

American Public Works Association.

AQCCT

Air Quality Criteria and Control Techniques.

AQCR

Air Quality Control Region.

AQD

Air Quality Digest.

AQDHS

Air Quality Data Handling System.

AQDM

Air Quality Display Model.

AQMA

Air Quality Maintenance Area.

AQMD

Air Quality Management District.

AQMP

Air Quality Management Plan.

AQSM

Air Quality Simulation Model.

AQTAD

Air Quality Technical Assistance Demonstration.

AQTX, aquatic toxicity

the adverse effects on marine life that result from exposure to a toxic substance. See TLm.

aqueous, aq.

describes a water-based solution or suspension.Frequently describes a gaseous compound dissolved in water.Using water as a solvent.

aquifer

a porous, subsurface geological structure carrying or holding water, such as a well.

ARAR

Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirement.

ARB

Air Resources Board.

arbitration

a process for the resolution of disputes. Decisions are made by an impartial arbitrator selected by the parties.These decisions are usually legally binding. (See: Mediation)

ARCHIE

Automated Resource for Chemical Hazard Incident Evaluation.

ARCS

Alternative Remedial Contract Strategy.

area of review

in the UIC program, the area surrounding an injection well that is reviewed during the permitting process to determine whether the injection operation will induce flow between aquifers.

area source

in air pollution, any small individual fuel combustion source, including vehicles. A more precise legal definition is available in Federal regulations.

argyria

local or generalized gray-blue colored impregnation of the body (skin) tissue with silver.

ARIP

Accidental Release Information Program.

ARM

Air Resources Management.

ARO

Alternate Regulatory Option.

ARPO

Acid Rain Policy Office.

ARRPA

Air Resources Regional Pollution Assessment.

ARS-2

Resist Stripper-Semi aqueous - Printed Circuit Chemical (ETUS).

ARS-AQUA

Resist Stripper Aqueous - Printed Circuit Chemical (ETUS).

ARS-TREATA

Treat Spent Stripper - Printed Circuit Chemical (ETUS).

article

a manufactured item that is specifically shaped or formed with its function dependent on its shape or design. It does not release or result in exposure to a hazardous material in normal use.Articles are excluded from hazard laws unless they give off dust or fumes.

ARZ

Auto-Restricted Zone.

Area Source.

ASAP

As Soon As Possible.

asbestos

a mineral fiber that can pollute air or water and cause cancer or asbestosis when inhaled. EPA has banned or severely restricted its use in manufacturing and construction.

asbestosis

a disease associated with chronic exposure to and inhalation of asbestos fibers. The disease makes breathing progressively more difficult and can lead to death.

ASC

Area Source Category.

ASCE

American Society of Civil Engineers.

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange.

ASCP

American Society of Consulting Planners.

ASDWA

Association of State Drinking Water Administrators.

ash

the mineral content of a product remaining after complete combustion.

A-scale sound level

a measurement of sound approximating the sensitivity of the human ear, used to note the intensity or annoyance of sounds.

ASHAA

Asbestos in Schools Hazard Abatement Act.

ASHRAE

American Society for Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers.

ASIWPCA

Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators.

ASMDHS

Airshed Model Data Handling System.

ASME

American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

ASPA

American Society of Public Administration.

asphyxia

lack of oxygen and interference with the oxygenation of the blood. Can lead to unconsciousness.

asphyxiant

a vapor or gas that can cause unconsciousness or death by suffocation (lack of oxygen). Most simple asphyxiants are harmful to the body only when they become so concentrated that they reduce (displace) the available oxygen in the air (normally about 21%) to dangerous levels (18% or lower). Examples of simple asphyxiants are COà, Nà, Hà, and He. Chemical asphyxiants like carbon monoxide (CO) reduce the blood's ability to carry oxygen, or like cyanide interfere with the body's utilization of oxygen.

asphyxiation

a condition that causes asphyxia or suffocation.Asphyxiation is one of the principal potential hazardous of working in confined spaces.

aspiration hazard

the danger of drawing material into the lungs, leading to an inflammatory response that can be fatal.

ASPIS

Abandoned Site Program Information System.

ASRL

Atmospheric Sciences Research Laboratory.

ASSE

American Society of Sanitary Engineers.

assimilation

the ability of a body of water to purify itself of pollutants.

assimilation

the ability of a body of water to purify itself of pollutants.

AST

Aboveground Storage Tank.

asthma

a disease characterized by recurrent attacks of dyspnea, wheezing, and perhaps coughing caused by spasmodic contraction of the main airways in the lungs.

ASTHO

Association of State and Territorial Health Officers.

ASTM

American Society for Testing and Materials. It is the world's largest source of voluntary consensus standards for material, products, systems, and services. ASTM is a resource for sampling and testing methods, health and safety aspects of materials, safe performance guidelines, effects of physical and biological agents and chemicals.

ASTSWMO

Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials.

asymptomatic

neither causing nor exhibiting symptoms.

Advanced Treatment.

ATA

American Trucking Association.

ataxia

loss of reflexes or muscular coordination. Depending on muscles affected signs can include - twitching, stumbling or unsteady walk, shaking, and slurred speech.EXAMPLE LAY LANGUAGE: Loss of muscle control (indicate muscles involved, e.g, staggering gait).

atm

atmosphere. Pressure measurement. One atm = 14.7 lbs/in2. The pressure exerted by the air at sea level that supports a column of mercury 760 mm high (about 30 in.), expressed as 760 mm Hg. One torr - 1 mm Hg.

ATMI

American Textile Manufacturing Institute.

atmosphere

1. a standard unit of pressure representing the pressure exerted by a 29.92 inch column of mercury at sea level at 45 degrees latitude and equal to 1000 grams per square centimeter. 2. the whole mass of air surrounding the earth, composed largely of oxygen and nitrogen.

atomic pile

a nuclear reactor.

atrophy

reduction in size or function of tissue, organs, or the entire body caused by lack of use.

ATSDR

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; federal agency within the Public Health Service charged with carrying out the health-related responsibilities of CERCLA and RCRA.

ATTF

Air Toxics Task Force.

attractant

a chemical or agent that lures insects or other pests by stimulating their sense of smell.

attrition

wearing or grinding down a substance by friction. A contributing factor in air pollution, as with dust.

audiometer

an instrument that measures hearing sensitivity.

autoignition temperature

the minimum temperature at which a substance ignites without application of a flame or spark. Do not heat materials to greater than 80% of this temperature.

autotrophic

an organism that produces food from inorganic substances.

Avogadro's number

the number of molecules in a gram-molecular weight of any substance.

AWISE

Association of Women in Science and Engineering.

AWMA

Air and Waste Management Association.

AWPI

American Wood Preservers Institute.

A/WPR

Air/Water Pollution Report.

AWQC

Ambient Water-Quality Criteria.

AWRA

American Water Resources Association.

AWWA

American Water Works Association.

AWWARF

American Water Works Association Research Foundation.

AWWUC

American Water Works Utility Council.

BAC

Biotechnology Advisory Committee.

backfill

the material used to refill an excavation, or the process of doing so.

background level

in air pollution, the level of pollutants present in ambient air from natural sources.

back pressure

pressure exerted against a flow.

backwash

(abbr. BW) - upward flow of water through a resin to cleanse, expand, and classify the resin.

backwashing

the process of cleaning an ion exchange, rapid sand or mechanical filter by reversing the flow of water.

BACT

Best Available Control Technology.

bacteria

microscopic single-cell plants which reproduce by fission or by spores, identified by their shapes; coccus, spherical; bacillus, rod-shaped; and spirillum, curved.

bactericidal

bacteria-destroying.

BADCT

Best Available Demonstrated Control Technology.

BADT

Best Available Demonstrated Technology.

baffle

a deflector that changes the direction of flow or velocity of water, sewage, or particulate matter. Also used to deaden sound.

baghouse

an air pollution abatement device used to trap particulates by filtering gas streams through large fabric bags usually made of glass fibers.

BAL

British Anti-Lewisite. A name for the drug dimercaprol, a treatment for toxic inhalations.

baling

compacting solid waste into blocks to reduce volume.

ballistic separator

a machine that sorts organic from inorganic matter for composting.

band application

in pesticides, the spreading of chemicals over or next to each row of plants in a field.

BARF

Best Available Retrofit Facility.

bar screen

in waste water treatment, a device that removes large solids.

BART

Bay Area Rapid Transit.

BART

Best Available Retrofit Technology.

basal application

in pesticides, the spreading of a chemical on stems or trunks just above the soil line.

base

substances that (usually) liberate OH anions when dissolved in water and weaken a strong acid. Bases react with acids to form salts and water. Bases have a pH >7, turn litmus paper blue, and may be corrosive to human tissue. They are also called alkali and caustic.Examples are lye and DRANO. See acid; alkali; pH.

BAT

Best Available Technology.

BAT

Best Available Treatment.

BATEA

Best Available Technology Economically Available.

Baume, Be

an arbitrary scale of specific gravities devised by the French chemist Antoine Baume (c. 1800; pronounced bo-may) that indicate concentration of materials in a solution.

BBF

CWT Treatment-Combo - Cooling Water Treatment (ETUS).

BCDC

Bay Area Conservation and Development Commission.

BCF

Bioconcentration Factor.

BCM

Blood-Clotting Mechanism effects.

BCPT

Best Conventional Pollutant Technology.

BCT

Best Conventional pollutant Control Technology.

BCT

Best Conventional Technology.

BDAT

Best Demonstrated Available Technology.

BDAT

Best Demonstrated Achievable Technology.

BDT

Best Demonstrated Technology.

bed

the ion exchanger or filter media in a column or other tank or operational vessel.

bed depth

measure of resin bed from top to bottom.

bed volume

(abbr. BV) - the amount of space occupied by the resin bed in cubic feet or gallons.

BEI, biological exposure indexes

numerical values based on procedures to determine the amount of a material the human body absorbs by measuring the material the human body absorbs by measuring the material or its metabolic products in tissue, fluid, or exhaled air. See the ACGIH publication Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indexes.

belowground release

means any release to the subsurface of the land and to ground water. This includes, but is not limited to, releases from the belowground portions of an underground storage tank system and belowground releases associated with overfills and transfer operations as the regulated substance moves to or from an underground storage tank.

beneath the surface of the ground

means beneath the ground surface or otherwise covered with earthen materials.

benthic region

the bottom layer of a body of water.

benthos

the plants and animals that inhabit the bottom of a water body.

BEP

Black Employment Program.

beryllium

a metal that can be hazardous to human health when inhaled. It is discharged by machine shops, ceramic and propellant plants, and foundries.

beta particle

an elementary particle emitted by radioactive decay that may cause skin burns. It is halted by a thin sheet of metal.

Billion Gallons.

BIA

Bureau of Indian Affairs.

BID

Buoyancy Induced Dispension.

BIF

boilers and industrial furnaces; category of thermal treatment operations whose combustion processes and air emissions were unregulated under RCRA Subpart O until 1991; includes cement and lightweight aggregate kilns, asphalt and smelting furnaces, and industrial boilers and furnaces.

BIO-1