The part of an ecosystem that includes the nonliving surroundings.
the solution of one component of a gaseous mixture into a liquid, or the penetration of a gas or liquid into a porous solid.
exposure to a chemical for a short period of time, relative to the organisms life span. For example, 14 days or less for humans. cf Chronic exposure.
The removal of any dissolved or suspended contaminants beyond secondary treatment, often this is the removal of the nutrients nitrogen and/or phosphorus.
a dispersion of very small solid or liquid particles in a gas. Examples are smoke and fog.
the integrated operation of agricultural and industrial activities.
An organic compound with a carbonyl at one end of a hydrocarbon group.
primitive, non-vascular water plants consisting of a single cell or aggregation of cells. All are relatively simple photosynthetic organisms with unicellular reproductive structures. Algae occur in both marine and fresh water, while some are terrestrial, living in damp situations on walls, trees, etc.
chemical classification relating to the structure of hydrocarbons
(K2SO4. Al2 (SO4)3.24H2O) potassium aluminium sulfate.
compounds formed when the hydrogen atoms of ammonia (NH3)are replaced by organic groups (R).
A functional group which consists of a carbon with a carboxylic acid, "-COOH" and an amine, "-NH2." These compounds are the building blocks for proteins.
A process which only occurs in the absence of molecular oxygen.
an average concentration calculated from results over a one year period; the concentration at any time could be higher or lower than the annual average
Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification
A form of bonding in which ring compounds share electrons over more than two atoms. The electrons are delocalized. This leads to unusual ring stability.
organic compounds that contain a benzene ring or have chemical properties similar to benzene.
chemical classification of hydrocarbon groups attached to compounds
those concentrations of substances in the environment that are due to natural sources. Usually these need to be determined before a source of anthropogenic pollutants is introduced into the environment in question. This may only be practicable in a nearly pristine environment, as was done in the East Alligator River prior to the Ranger uranium mine project.
One celled microorganisms which do not have a nuclear membrane.
to accumulate in the tissues of plants and animals to a concentration higher than that of the surrounding environment.
to become more concentrated in the tissues of plants and animals than in the surrounding environment.
A film of microorganisms attached to a surface, such as that on a trickling filter, rotating biological contactor, or rocks in natural streams.
the existence of a substance at successively higher concentrations with increasing trophic levels in ecosystem food chains. cf. bioconcentration
the part of the planet and its atmosphere inhabited by living organisms.
the total amount of a specific substance (e.g., lead) in an organism, including the amount stored and the amount absorbed. Usually refers to the pollutant load or burden in a human being.
a malignant tumour which can spread throughout the body. As distinct from a benign tumour, which cannot. (Although leukaemia and some other malignant diseases are not solid tumours, they meet other criteria for cancer and can be, and often are, included under this definition.)
a chemical capable of inducing cancer.
Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number. The unique number assigned to a chemical by the Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
A unit of varying dimensions in a landfill which is isolated from the environment by 6 to 12 inches of soil cover. A cell is one day´s waste or less. A cell is covered with soil at the end of each day.
the determination of the composition and properties of a product, emission, effluent or solid waste. Characterisation includes the identification of trace components and their concentrations.
Synthetic organic compounds used for refrigerants, aerosol propellants (prohibited in the U.S.), and blowing agents in plastic foams. CFCs migrate to the upper atmosphere destroying ozone and increasing global warming. Typical atmospheric residence times are 50 to 200 years.
exposure to a chemical for a relatively long period of time (for example, 365 days (1 year) or more for humans). cfAcute exposure.
The act of preparing a landfill for long term inactivity, including placement of a cover over the landfill to prevent infiltration of surface water.
the generation of electrical power and utilisation of waste heat.
The ionic bonding of one or more central ions or molecules by one or more surrounding ions or molecules.
A substance composed of two or more elements.
The fraction of a species entering a system which is converted to product.
in environmental management, is applied to the substance or its concentration, to refer to it as an indicator variable of the level of pollution, above which there is an unacceptable level of environmental hazard.
Systems which change in response to feedback.
The consumption of oxygen by the different aquatic organisms as they oxidized materials in the aquatic environment.
the process by which sulfur and sulfur compounds are removed from gases or liquid hydrocarbon mixtures, usually by chemical or catalytic processes.
A stable mixture of particles suspended in a fluid medium.
the process of forming a gas or vapour from a liquid or solid solution by heating and/or lowering pressure and condensing the vapour distilled to separate some or all of the components of the solution.
An organism or group of organisms and their surroundings. The boundary of an ecosystem may be arbitrarily chosen to suit the area of interest or study.
A device which uses an electric field to trap particulate pollutants.
release or discharge of a substance to the environment whether in pure form or contained in other matter and whether in solid, liquid or gaseous form.
calculation of the various energy inputs, and losses for a process. The energy input should be equal to the outputs, energy stored and lost, as required by the First Law of Thermodynamics.
the movement through the biosphere of a substance (chemical, trace elements, etc.), including the physical, biological, and chemical interactions undergone by the substance.
the study of diseases as they affect populations rather than the cases of isolated individuals.
The mass of the compound which will produce one mole of available reacting substance. Thus, for an acid, this would be the mass of acid which will produce one mole of H+, for a base, one mole of OH-.
an alcohol with low enough toxicity for (moderate) human consumption.
the deterioration in water quality and life-support capabilities of a water body, caused by the entry of excessive nitrogen and/or phosphorus in effluents or run-off. The excess nutrients allow excessive growth of plant life in the water body. Subsequent rotting of dead plant matter consumes dissolved oxygen and releases toxins into the water body.
The conversion of liquid water to water vapor. It occurs on the surface of water bodies such as lakes and rivers and immediately after precipitation events in small depressions and other storage areas.
Food and Drug Administration, US.
a process in which micro-organisms digest organic compounds aerobically or anaerobically.
the temperature at which the vapours of a substance, mixed with air, spontaneously ignite.
Settling in which particle concentrations are sufficiently high that particle agglomeration occurs. This results in a reduction in the number of particles and an increase in average particle mass. As agglomeration occurs higher settling velocities result.
food chains interconnecting at various levels.
Gas transfer of an undesirable gas from a water stream to the atmosphere.
a substance capable of causing damage to genetic material, such as DNA.
measured or estimated concentration of a pollutant at ground level. Estimated values are derived from pollutant dispersion models.
Water which is contained in geologic strata. Also properly written as two words, ground water.
a hydrocarbon with some hydrogen atoms replaced by halogen atoms such as chlorine or fluorine.
substances which are capable of causing serious damage to human health. Serious damage is classed as being where a clear functional disturbance or morphological change, which has toxicological significance, results from repeated or prolonged exposure.
a cyclic or ring molecular structure in which one or more of the atoms in the ring is an element other than carbon. (Common heterocyclics are pyridine, pyrrole, furan, thiophene, and purine).
A group of organisms which obtain carbon for synthesis from other organic matter or proteins.
plant forms traditionally recognised as plants, in contrast to simpler plant forms such as fungi and algae.
a reaction in which hydrogen is added to a chemical, for example, in the conversion of unsaturated fats to saturated fats.
The lower layer of a lake.
an average concentration calculated from results for industry sourced pollution over a one year period; the concentration at any time could be higher or lower than the annual average.
The movement of water from the surface of the land through the unsaturated zone and into the groundwater. This occurs during and immediately after precipitation events. It can also occur at the bottom of lakes and rivers.
an estimate of the daily inhalation exposure that is possible without an appreciable risk of adverse non-cancer effects during a lifetime; set by the US EPA.
class of economic benefits and costs which because of their nature are impossible or very difficult to quantify. Certain aspects of beauty and wildlife protection are included in this category.
replacement of ions adsorbed on a solid, or exposed at the surface of a solid, by ions in solution. When used for water softening, calcium ions in hard water in contact with an ion exchange resin or mineral zeolite and are replaced by sodium ions.
Two or more different compounds with the same chemical formula but different structure and characteristics.
the character of the cell nucleus as determined by the nature of all its chromosomes.
The placement of wastes into the land under controlled conditions to minimize their migration or effect on the surrounding environment.
a dose of a substance that produces death in 50% of a population of experimental animals. It is usually expressed as milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight. This term is used when the exposure pathway is by absorption of the specified dose.
a form of cancer which affects the white blood cells.
The ion or molecule which surrounds or complexes with the central atom or ion.
(a) destination for containment including landfill, tailings storage facility, underground injection or other long term purpose-built waste storage structure; (b) an off-site destination for destruction; (c) an off-site sewerage system; (d) an off-site treatment facility which leads solely to one or more of the above.
The study of the atmosphere and weather of the lower atmosphere, below 100 km.
the first in the series of the simplest alcohols. It is highly poisonous to humans and many animals.
0.000001 metre, i.e. a millionth of a metre.
a gaseous dispersion of liquid particles, usually less than 50 microns in diameter. When the concentration of suspended particles is sufficient to reduce visibility, the mist becomes a fog.
able to produce a mutation.
0.000000001 metre, i.e. a billionth of a metre.
changes which are indicative of cell death.
a substance which has adverse effects on the nervous system.
The biological oxidation of ammonia and ammonium sequentially to nitrite and then nitrate. It occurs naturally in surface waters, and can be engineered in wastewater treatment systems. The purpose of nitrification in wastewater treatment systems is a reduction in the oxygen demand resulting from the ammonia.
in relation to any facility means a person who is in occupation or control of the facility whether or not that person is the owner of the faility. A business entitiy is the occupier of a facillity where that business entity has operational control of the facility.
a business entity that controls a facility has operational control of the facility if the entity, or one of its subsidiaries, has full authority to introduce and implement its operating policies at the facilty.
Nitrogen contained as amines in organic compounds such as amino acids and proteins.
an oxidant is a substance that accepts electrons during chemical reactions. These reactions often involve oxygen resulting in the formation of oxides. The rusting of steel is an example of this type of reaction.
ref. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
a measure of how acidic or alkaline a material, liquid or solid is. pH is presented on a logarithmic scale of 0 to 14. 0 represents the most acid, and 14 the most alkaline and 7 neutrality. pH is the negative logof the hydrogen ion concentration.
An aromatic benzene ring with a hydroxyl substituted for one hydrogen.
Organisms which utilize inorganic carbon dioxide for protoplasm synthesis and light for an energy source. See autotrophic and chemoautotrophic.
air pollution formed in the presence of ultra-violet or visible light from the sun
Organisms which obtain energy from light using photooxidation.
1 thousand billionth of a gram of a substance in a cubic metre of air, soil or water. That is, 0.000000000000001 grams per litre.
particulate matter which is less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter
a generic name for a broad group of compounds all of which have condensed benzene rings (hexagonal rings joined along common sides). Naphthalene is the simplest PAH. PAHs are, and have been historically, ubiquitous in the environment. They occur in smoke from burning wood and vegetation, from fossil fuel combustion and on burnt meat. They are present in much higher concentrations when a wood or coal fire is starved of adequate air or the petrol or diesel engine is emitting smoke. They are usually adsorbed onto particulates in the smoke from the above sources.
compound that has shown some evidence for carcinogenity in animals but for which there is no human data.
or Publicly Owned Treatment Works Any municipally owned wastewater treatment facility.
Organisms which do not have a cellular membrane.
CH.CH3 )
presence of fluid in the lung tissue.
A waste which; 1) reacts violently with water, 2) forms potentially explosive mixtures with water, 3) is normally unstable, 4) contains cyanide or sulfide in sufficient quantity to evolve toxic fumes at high or low pH, 5) is capable of exploding if heated under pressure, or 6) is an explosive compound listed in Department of Transportation (DoT) regulations. One of EPA´s four hazardous waste properties.
Standards which require a discharger to maintain a certain quality level in the receiving water.
resistant to action of heat.
for a facility is
body structures used for breathing including the mouth, nose, throat and lungs.
The gradual replacement of freshwater by saltwater in coastal areas where excessive pumping of groundwater occurs.
digitally recorded image of the earth´s surface from a satellite ins pace; the image is captured from measurements made in the visible and infrared spectrum, so colours are not necessarily true to real life.
The gravity settling, and thus removal, of materials more dense than the suspending fluid.
insoluble materials in water bodies such as streams. Sediments maybe suspended in the water, transported on or near the stream bed, or may settle on the bottom.
Obtaining government (federal, state, and local) permission to construct an environmental processing, treatment, or disposal facility at a given site.
economic benefits and costs accruing to, and borne by a community generally or sectors of it, not to a private individual or organisation.
The elimination or reduction of the waste at the source by modification of the actual process which produces the waste.
refers to the subdivision of classes of substances into groups with closely related properties (e.g. compounds of chromium can be subdivided into groups defined by the oxidation state of chromium (e.g. III or VI)within the compound).
properly refers to the set of chemical and physical principles applied to determine the relationships between reactants and products in a chemical process. In stoichiometric calculations, it is the mass relationship existing between the chemical reactants and products, which are of the primary interest. As an adjective, "stoichiometric" is often taken to refer to the quantities of reactants and products as determined by the reaction equation for a specific chemical reaction, which produces no by-products.
The atmosphere from approximately 12 km to 70 km. The temperature of the atmosphere increases in this region.
the media or nutrient materials on which micro-organisms grow.
is the act of working together. Two chemicals which are synergistic have a greater effect together than the sum of their individual effects. The effect can be either positive or negative.
a condition of raised acidity in the blood or body tissues.
an agent capable of causing abnormalities in a developing foetus; that is, causing birth defects.
a class of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons.
Organic compounds which contain the "-SH" functional group. Also called mercaptans.
the relative capability of an organism to endure an unfavourable environmental factor / characteristic. Intolerance
inflammation of the air passage between the larynx and lungs (the trachea).
The loss of water from plants through leaves and other parts. This loss can be a significant amount of water during very dry periods.
atmosphere up to about 15 km altitude.
The lower atmosphere, from the earth´s surface to approximately 12 km. This portion of the earth´s atmosphere contains about 95 percent of the atmospheric gases. The temperature gradually declines through this region.
United States Environmental Protection Agency.
average concentration calculated from results for vehicle sourced pollution over a one year period; the concentration at any time could be higher or lower than the annual average.
A submicroscopic genetic constituent which can alternate between two distinct phases. As a virus particle, or virion, it is DNA or RNA enveloped in an organic capsule. As an intracellular virus, it is viral DNA or RNA inserted into the host organisms DNA or RNA.
readily evaporates at room temperature.
for a substance means an estimate of the amount of the substance transferred, to a voluntary reporting transfer destination, in a reporting period that identifies
indicates that a concentration or dose is described in terms of the weight of solute (or contaminant) as a proportion of weight of the solvent (or dosed organism).
Semi-aquatic land, that is land that is either inundated or saturated by water for varying periods of time during each year, and that supports aquatic vegetation which is specifically adapted for saturated soil conditions.
