|
What's New
Donate
Links
| |
Abatement
Reducing the degree or intensity of, or eliminating,
pollution.(1)
Absorption
The process of taking in, as when a sponge takes up
water. Chemicals can be absorbed through the skin into
the bloodstream and then transported to other organs.
Chemicals can also be absorbed into the bloodstream after
breathing or swallowing.(2)
Active ingredient
In any pesticide product, the component that kills, or
otherwise controls, target pests. Pesticides are
regulated primarily on the basis of active ingredients.(1)
Acute exposure
A single exposure to a toxic substance which results in
severe biological harm or death. Acute exposures are
usually characterized as lasting no longer than a day, as
compared to longer, continuing chronic exposure over a
period of time.(1)
Agricultural
pollution
Farming wastes, including runoff and leaching of
pesticides and fertilizers; erosion and dust from
plowing; improper disposal of animal manure and
carcasses; crop residues, and debris.(1)
Air particulates
Total suspended particulate matter found in the
atmosphere as solid particles or liquid droplets.
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 motor vehicle or non-road engine exhausts.(1)
Air pollutant
Any substance in air that could, 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 combination thereof.
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.(1)
Air pollutants,
hazardous
Air pollutants which are not covered by ambient air
quality standards but which, as defined in the Clean Air
Act, may reasonably be expected to cause or contribute to
irreversible illness or death. Such pollutants include
asbestos, beryllium, mercury, benzene, coke-oven
emissions, radionuclides, and vinyl chloride.(1)
Air quality
standards
The level of pollutants prescribed by regulations that
may not be exceeded during a given time in a defined
area.(1)
Air toxics
Any air pollutant for which a national ambient air
quality standard (NAAQS) does not exist (i.e., excluding
ozone, carbon monoxide, PM-10, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxide) that may reasonably be anticipated to cause
cancer, developmental effects, reproductive dysfunctions,
neurological disorders, heritable gene mutations, or
other serious or irreversible chronic or acute health
effects in humans.(1)
Alternative Fuels
Substitutes for traditional liquid, oil-derived motor
vehicle fuels like gasoline and diesel. Includes
methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, and others.(1)
Alternative
technology
Approach that aims to use resources efficiently or to
substitute resources in order to do minimum damage to the
environment. This approach permits a large degree of
personal control over the technology.(1)
Ambient air
Any unconfined portion of the atmosphere: open air,
surrounding air. Ambient air is usually outdoor air (as
opposed to indoor air).(1)
Animal studies
Investigations using animals as surrogates for humans
with the expectation that the results are pertinent to
humans.(1)
Applied research
An investigative study in which the results are used in
actual practice.(2)
Arsenic
A metal widely distributed in nature and found mostly in
water. Industrial contamination is the primary source of
airborne arsenic. Active smelters may be a source of high
exposure to arsenic fumes and dust. The manufacture of
pesticides and other agricultural products is the major
source of occupational exposure. Arsenic has been
associated with skin cancer, lung cancer, peripheral
vascular disease and liver injury. Reproductive effects
have been noted in animals.(3)
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.(1)
Asbestos abatement
Procedures to control fiber release from
asbestos-containing materials in a building or to remove
them entirely, including removal, encapsulation, repair,
enclosure, encasement, and operations and maintenance
programs.(1)
Asbestosis
A disease associated with inhalation of asbestos fibers.
The disease makes breathing progressively more difficult
and can be fatal.(1)
Attainment area
An area considered to have air quality as good as or
better than the national ambient air quality standards as
defined in the Clean Air Act. An area may be an
attainment area for one pollutant and a non-attainment
area for others.(1)
Background level
In air pollution control, the concentration of air
pollutants in a definite area during a fixed period of
time prior to the starting up or on the stoppage of a
source of emission under control. In toxic substances
monitoring, the average presence in the environment,
originally referring to naturally occurring phenomena.(1)
Bacteria
(Singular: bacterium) Microscopic living organisms that
can aid in pollution control by metabolizing organic
matter in sewage, oil spills or other pollutants.
However, bacteria in soil, water or air can also cause
human, animal and plant health problems.(1)
Bioaccumulants
Substances that increase in concentration in living
organisms as they take in contaminated air, water, or
food because the substances are very slowly metabolized
or excreted. (See: biological magnification.)(1)
Bioconcentration
The accumulation of a chemical in tissues of an organism
(such as a fish) to levels greater than in the
surrounding medium in which the organism lives.(1)
Biological
magnification
The process whereby certain substances such as pesticides
or heavy metals move up the food chain by working their
way into rivers or lakes and being eaten by aquatic
organisms such as fish, which in turn are eaten by large
birds, animals or humans. The substances become
concentrated in tissues or internal organs as they move
up the chain. (See: bioaccumulative.)(1)
Biological uptake
The transfer of hazardous substances from the environment
to plants, animals, and humans. This may be evaluated
through environmental measurements, such as measurement
of the amount of the substance in an organ known to be
susceptible to that substance. More commonly, biological
dose measurements are used to determine whether exposure
has occurred. The presence of a contaminant, or its
metabolite, in human biologic specimens, such as blood,
hair, or urine, is used to confirm exposure and can be an
independent variable in evaluating the relationship
between the exposure and any observed adverse health
effects.(2)
Biomarkers
(biological markers/monitoring)
Measuring chemicals or their metabolites in biological
materials (e.g., blood, urine, breath) to estimate
exposure, or to detect biochemical changes in the exposed
subject before or during the onset of adverse health
effects. Sometimes refers to a specific indicator for a
particular disease/functional disturbance.(4)
Body burden
The total amount of a chemical in the body. Some
chemicals build up in the body because they are stored in
fat or bone or because they are eliminated very slowly.(2)
Brownfields
Abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial
facilities where expansion or redevelopment is
complicated by real or perceived environmental
contamination.(1)
Cadmium (Cd)
A heavy metal element that accumulates in the
environment.(1)
Carbon monoxide (CO)
A colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced by
incomplete fossil fuel combustion.(1)
Carboxyhemoglobin
Hemoglobin in which the iron is bound to carbon monoxide
(CO) instead of oxygen.(1)
Carcinogen
Any substance that can cause or aggravate cancer.(1)
Carry home exposures
Occupational exposures that are transported into the home
environment via the clothes, shoes, skin, hair and cars
of working parents and consequently become a source of
exposure for children.(5)
Case study
The medical or epidemiologic evaluation of a single
person or a small number of individuals to determine
descriptive information about their health status or
potential for exposure through interview or biomedical
testing.(2)
Chlorinated
hydrocarbons
These include a class of persistent, broad-spectrum
insecticides that linger in the environment and
accumulate in the food chain. Among them are DDT, aldrin,
dieldrin, heptachlor, chlordane, lindane, endrin, mirex,
hexachloride, and toxaphene. Other examples include
trichlorethylene (TCE), used as an industrial solvent.(1)
Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
A family of inert, nontoxic, and easily liquified
chemicals used in refrigeration, air conditioning,
packaging, insulation, or as solvents and aerosol
propellants. Because CFCs are not destroyed in the lower
atmosphere, they drift into the upper atmosphere where
their chlorine components destroy ozone.(1)
Chronic effect
An adverse effect on a human or animal in which symptoms
recur frequently or develop slowly over a long period of
time.(1)
Chronic toxicity
The capacity of a substance to cause long-term poisonous
human health effects.(1)
Cluster
investigation
A review of an unusual number, real or perceived, of
health events (for example, reports of cancer) grouped
together in time and location. Cluster investigations are
designed to confirm case reports, determine whether they
represent an unusual disease occurrence and, if possible,
explore possible causes and environmental factors.(2)
Community health
investigation
Medical or epidemiologic evaluation of descriptive health
information about individual persons or a population of
persons to evaluate and determine health concerns and to
assess the likelihood that they may be linked to exposure
to hazardous substances.(2)
Community
Right-to-Know reporting requirements
Part of the Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), the Community
Right-to-Know Reporting Requirements (Sections 311-312)
establish reporting requirements which provide the public
with important information on the hazardous chemicals in
their communities. The purpose is to increase community
awareness of chemical hazards and to facilitate emergency
planning. ()
Contaminant
Any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological
substance or matter that has an adverse effect on air,
water, or soil.(1)
Cumulative exposure
The summation of exposures of an organism to a chemical
over a period of time.(1)
DDT
(Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane)
The first chlorinated hydrocarboninsecticide. DDT has a
half-life of 15 years and can collect in fatty tissues of
certain animals. EPA banned registration and interstate
sale of DDT for virtually all but emergency uses in the
United States in 1972 because of its persistence in the
environment and accumulation in the food chain.(1)
Developmental
disorders/effects
Adverse effects such as altered growth, structural
abnormality, functional deficiency, or death observed in
a developing organism.(1)
Dioxin
Any of a family of compounds known chemically as
dibenzo-p-dioxins. Concern about them arises from their
potential toxicity and their contamination of commercial
products. Tests on laboratory animals indicate that it is
one of the more toxic man-made compounds.(1)
Disease registry
A system for collecting and maintaining in a structured
record, information on persons having a common illness or
adverse health condition.(2)
Dose
The amount of substance to which a person is exposed.
Dose often takes body weight into account.(2)
Dose response
How a biological organism's response to a toxic substance
quantitatively shifts as its overall exposure to the
substance changes (e.g., a small dose of carbon monoxide
may cause drowsiness; a large dose can be fatal.)(1)
Electric and
Magnetic Fields (EMFs)
EMFs consist of low-frequency radiation that is generated
when electric current flows through a high-tension wire.
EMFs have been associated with an increased incidence of
leukemia in children and brain cancer in adults.(6)
Emission
Pollution discharged into the atmosphere from
smokestacks, other vents, and surface areas of commercial
or industrial facilities; from residential chimneys; and
from motor vehicle, locomotive, or aircraft exhausts.(1)
Emission standard
The maximum amount of air polluting discharge legally
allowed from a single source, mobile or stationary.(1)
Endocrine disruptors
Synthetic chemicals and natural plant compounds that may
affect the endocrine system (the communication system of
glands, hormones and cellular receptors that control the
body's internal functions). Many of these substances have
been associated with developmental, reproductive and
other health problems in wildlife and laboratory animals.
Some experts suggest these compounds may affect humans in
similar ways.(9)
Environmental fate
The destiny of a chemical or biological pollutant after
release into the environment. Environmental fate involves
temporal and spatial considerations of transport,
transfer, storage and transformation.(4)
Environmental
justice
The fair treatment of people of all races, cultures,
incomes, and educational levels with respect to the
development, implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair
treatment implies that no population should be forced to
shoulder a disproportionate share of the negative
environmental impacts of pollution or environmental
hazards due to a lack of political or economic strength.(5)
Environmental Tobacco
Smoke (ETS)
Second hand smoke; tobacco smoke inhaled by someone in
proximity to a smoker.(5)
Epidemiology
Study of the distribution of disease, or other
health-related states and events in human populations, as
related to such factors as age, sex, occupation, ethnic,
and economic status in order to identify and alleviate
health problems and promote better health.(1)
Exposure
Contact with a chemical by swallowing, by breathing, or
by direct contact (such as through the skin or eyes).
Exposure may be short term (acute) or long term
(chronic).(2)
Exposure assessment
Identifying the pathways by which toxicants may reach
individuals, estimating how much of a chemical an
individual is likely to be exposed to, and estimating the
number of individuals likely to be exposed.(1)
Exposure registry
A system for collecting and maintaining in a structured
record information on persons with documented
environmental exposure(s). The exposure registry evolved
from the need for fundamental information concerning the
potential impact on human health of long-term exposure to
low and moderate levels of hazardous substances.(2)
Fluorocarbons (FCs)
Any of a number of organic compounds analogous to
hydrocarbons in which one or more hydrogen atoms are
replaced by fluorine. Once used in the United States as a
propellant for domestic aerosols, they are now found
mainly in coolants and some industrial processes. FCs
containing chlorine are called chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs). They are believed to be modifying the ozone layer
in the stratosphere, thereby allowing more harmful solar
radiation to reach the Earth's surface.(1)
Fumigant
A pesticide vaporized to kill pests. Used in buildings
and greenhouses.(1)
Fungi
(Singular: Fungus) Molds, mildews, yeasts, mushrooms, and
puffballs. A group of organisms lacking in chlorophyll
(i.e., are not photosynthetic) and which are usually
non-mobile, filamentous, and multicellular. Some grow in
soil, others attach themselves to decaying trees and
other plants which they obtain nutrients. Some are
pathogens, others stabilize sewage and digest composted
waste.(1)
Fungicide
Pesticides which are used to control, deter, or destroy
fungi.(1)
Geographic
information system (GIS)
A computer hardware and software system designed to
collect, manipulate, analyze, and display spatially
referenced data for solving complex resource,
environmental, and social problems.(2)
Greenhouse effect
The warming of the Earth's atmosphere attributed to a
build-up of carbon dioxide or other gases; some
scientists think that this build-up allows the sun's rays
to heat the Earth, while infrared radiation makes the
atmosphere opaque to a counterbalancing loss of heat.(1)
Half-life
1. The time required for a pollutant to lose half its
effect on the environment. For example, the biochemical
half-life of DDT in the environment is 15 years; of
Radium, 1,580 years. 2. The time required for half of the
atoms of a radioactive element to undergo
self-transmutation or decay. 3. The time required for the
elimination of one-half a total dose from the body.(1)
Hazard
A source of risk that does not necessarily imply
potential for occurrence. A hazard produces risk only if
an exposure pathway exists, and if exposures create the
possibility of adverse consequences.(2)
Hazard
identification
Determining if a chemical can cause adverse health
effects in humans and what those affects might be.(1)
Hazardous substance
1. Any material that poses a threat to human health
and/or the environment. Typical hazardous substances are
toxic, corrosive, ignitable, explosive, or chemically
reactive. 2. Any substance designated by EPA to be
reported if a designated quantity of the substance is
spilled in the waters of the United States or if
otherwise released into the environment.(1)
Hazardous waste
By-products of society that can pose a substantial or
potential hazard to human health or the environment when
improperly managed. Possesses at least one of four
characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity,
or toxicity), or appears on special EPA lists.(1)
Hazardous waste
landfill
An excavated or engineered site where hazardous waste is
deposited and covered.(1)
Health investigation
Any investigation of a defined population, using
epidemiologic methods, which would assist in determining
exposures or possible public health impact by defining
health problems requiring further investigation through
epidemiologic studies, environmental monitoring or
sampling, and surveillance.(2)
Health surveillance
The periodic medical screening of a defined population
for a specific disease or for biological markers of
disease for which the population is, or is thought to be,
at significantly increased risk. The program should
include a mechanism to refer for treatment those persons
who test positive for disease (also called medical
monitoring).(2)
Heavy metals
Metallic elements with high atomic weights, e.g.,
mercury, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, and lead; can damage
living things at low concentrations and tend to
accumulate in the food chain.(1)
High risk community
A community located within the vicinity of numerous sites
or facilities or other potential sources of environmental
exposure/health hazards that may provide high levels of
exposure to contaminants or pollutants. In determining
risk or potential risk, factors such as total weight of
toxic contaminants, toxicity, routes of exposure, and
other factors may be used.(1)
Incinerator
A furnace for burning waste under controlled conditions.(1)
Indicator
1. In biology, an organism, species, or community whose
characteristics show the presence of specific
environmental conditions. 2. In chemistry, a substance
that shows a visible change, usually of color, at a
desired point in a chemical reaction. 3. A device that
indicates the result of a measurement, e.g., a pressure
gauge or a moveable scale.(1)
Indoor air
The breathing air inside a habitable structure or
conveyance.(1)
Indoor air pollution
Chemical, physical, or biological contaminants in indoor
air.(1)
Industrial waste
Unwanted materials from an industrial operation; may be
liquid, sludge, solid, or hazardous waste.(1)
Inert ingredient
Pesticide components such as solvents, carriers,
dispersants, and surfactants that are not active against
target pests. Not all inert ingredients are innocuous.(1)
Ingestion
Swallowing (such as eating or drinking). Chemicals can
get in or on food, drink, utensils, cigarettes, or hands
where they can be ingested. After ingestion, chemicals
can be absorbed into the blood and distributed throughout
the body.(2)
Inhalation
Breathing. Exposure may occur from inhaling contaminants
because they can be deposited in the lungs, taken into
the blood, or both.(2)
Insecticide
A pesticide compound specifically used to kill or prevent
the growth of insects.(1)
Integrated Pest
Management (IPM)
A mixture of chemical and other, non-pesticide, methods
used to control pests.(1)
Irreversible effect
Effect characterized by the inability of the body to
partially or fully repair injury caused by a toxic agent.(1)
Irritant
A substance that can cause irritation of the skin, eyes,
or respiratory system. Effects may be acute from a single
high-level exposure, or chronic from repeated low-level
exposures to such compounds as chlorine, nitrogen
dioxide, and nitric acid.(1)
Latency
Time from the first exposure to a chemical until the
appearance of a toxic effect.(1)
Lead (Pb)
A heavy metal that is hazardous to health if breathed or
swallowed. Its use in gasoline, paints, and plumbing
compounds has been sharply restricted or eliminated by
federal laws and regulations. (See: heavy metals.)(1)
Lifetime exposure
Total amount of exposure to a substance that a human
would receive in a lifetime (usually assumed to be 70
years).(1)
Mercury
A heavy metal that can accumulate in the environment and
is highly toxic if breathed or swallowed. (See: heavy
metals.)(1)
Methyl bromide
Methyl bromide is a broad spectrum pesticide used in the
control of pest insects, nematodes, weeds, pathogens, and
rodents. Methyl bromide is toxic not only to the target
pests it is used against, but to non-target organisms as
well. Human exposure to high concentrations of methyl
bromide can result in central nervous system and
respiratory system failure, as well as specific and
severe deleterious actions on the lungs, eyes, and skin.
Exposure of pregnant women may result in fetal defects.
Exposed persons have developed respiratory,
gastrointestinal, and neurological problems, including
inflammation of nerves and organs, and degeneration of
eyes.(1)
Methylmercury
A man-made molecule, synthesized for commercial purposes
and a naturally occuring compound made by certain
bacteria. Methylmercury, which has found wide use as a
mold killer, penetrates the brain and is a potent
neurotoxin. Methylmercury also crosses the placenta and
as a result, large numbers of pregnant women who were
exposed in past methylmercury epidemics bore severely
brain-damaged children.(5)
Monitoring
Periodic or continuous surveillance or testing to
determine the level of compliance with statutory
requirements and/or pollutant levels in various media or
in humans, plants, and animals.(1)
Morbidity
Illness or disease. Morbidity rate is the number of
illnesses or cases of disease in a population.(2)
Mutagen/mutagenicity
An agent that causes a permanent genetic change in a cell
other than that which occurs during normal genetic
recombination. Mutagenicity is the capacity of a chemical
or physical agent to cause such permanent alteration.(1)
National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS)
Standards established by the US Environmental Protection
Agency that apply for outside air throughout the country.(1)
National Exposure
Registry
A listing of persons exposed to hazardous substances.
This listing is composed of chemical-specific
subregistries. The primary purpose of the registry
program is to create a large database of similarly
exposed persons. This database is to be used to
facilitate epidemiology research in ascertaining adverse
health effects of persons exposed to low levels of
chemicals over a long period.(2)
National Priorities
List (NPL)
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) listing of
sites contaminated by toxic materials that have undergone
preliminary assessment and site inspection to determine
which locations pose immediate threat to persons living
or working near the release. These sites are most in need
of cleanup.(5)
Neurotoxins
A biological or chemical substance or agent that has an
adverse effect on the structure or function of the
central and/or peripheral nervous system.(4)
Nitrate
Plant nutrient and inorganic fertilizer that enters water
supply sources from septic systems, animal feed lots,
agricultural fertilizers, manure, industrial waste
waters, sanitary landfills and garbage dumps.(1)
Nitric Oxide (NO)
A gas formed by combustion under high temperature and
high pressure in an internal combustion engine; changes
into nitrogen dioxide in the ambient air and contributes
to photochemical smog.(1)
Non-attainment area
Area that does not meet one or more of the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards for the criteria pollutants
designated in the Clean Air Act.(1)
Oral toxicity
Ability of a pesticide to cause injury when ingested.(1)
Ozone depletion
Destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer which
shields the earth from ultraviolet radiation harmful to
life. This destruction of ozone is caused by the
breakdown of certain chlorine and/or-bromine containing
compounds (chlorofluorocarbons or halons), which break
down when they reach the stratosphere and then
catalytically destroy ozone molecules.(1)
Ozone (O3)
Found in two layers of the atmosphere, the stratosphere
and the troposphere. In the stratosphere (the atmospheric
layer 7 to 10 miles or more above the earth's surface)
ozone is a natural form of oxygen that provides a
protective layer shielding the earth from ultraviolet
radiation. In the troposphere (the layer extending up 7
to 10 miles from the earth's surface), ozone is a
chemical oxidant and major component of photochemical
smog. It can seriously impair the respiratory system and
is one of the most widespread of all the criteria
pollutants for which the Clean Air Act required EPA to
set standards. Ozone in the troposphere is produced
through complex chemical reactions of nitrogen oxides,
which are among the primary pollutants emitted by
combustion sources; hydrocarbons, released into the
atmosphere through the combustion, handling and
processing of petroleum products; and sunlight.(1)
Particulates
1. Fine liquid or solid particles such as dust, smoke,
mist, fumes, or smog found in air or emissions. 2, Very
small solids suspended in water. They vary in size,
shape, density, and electrical charge, can be gathered
together by coagulation and flocculation.(1)
Parts per billion
(ppb)/parts per million (ppm)
Units commonly used to express contamination ratios, as
in establishing the maximum permissible amount of a
contaminant in water, land, or air.(1)
Pathogens
Microorganisms that can cause disease in other organisms
or in humans, animals and plants (e.g., bacteria,
viruses, or parasites) found in sewage, in runoff from
farms or rural areas populated with domestic and wild
animals, and in water used for swimming. Fish and
shellfish contaminated by pathogens, or the contaminated
water itself, can cause serious illness.(1)
PCBs
See Polychlorinated biphenyls.()
Performance
standards
(1) Regulatory requirements limiting the concentrations
of designated organic compounds, particulate matter, and
hydrogen chloride in emissions from incinerators. (2)
Operating standards established by EPA for various
permitted pollution control systems, asbestos
inspections, and various program operations and
maintenance requirements.(1)
Persistence
Refers to the length of time a compound stays in the
environment, once introduced. A compound may persist for
less than a second or indefinitely.(1)
Pest
An insect, rodent, nematode, fungus, weed or other form
of terrestrial or aquatic plant or animal life that is
injurious to health or the environment.(1)
Pesticide
Substances or mixture thereof intended for preventing,
destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. Also, any
substance or mixture intended for use as a plant
regulator, defoliant, or desiccant.(1)
Pesticide tolerance
The amount of pesticide residue allowed by law to remain
in or on a harvested crop. EPA seeks to set these levels
well below the point where the compounds might be harmful
to consumers.(5)
Phenols
Organic compounds that are by-products of petroleum
refining, tanning, and textile, dye, and resin
manufacturing. Low concentrations cause taste and odor
problems in water; higher concentrations can kill aquatic
life and humans.(1)
Photochemical smog
Air pollution caused by chemical reactions of various
pollutants emitted from different sources.(1)
Picocuries per liter
(pCi/L)
A unit of measure for levels of radon gas.(1)
Pollutant Standard
Index (PSI)
Measure of adverse health effects of air pollution levels
in major cities.(1)
Pollution
Generally, the presence of matter or energy whose nature,
location, or quantity produces undesired environmental
effects. Under the Clean Water Act, for example, the term
is defined as the man-made or man-induced alteration of
the physical, biological, chemical, and radiological
integrity of water.(1)
Polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs)
A series of isomers and compounds used mainly as
plasticizers, flame retardants and insulating materials.
PCBs are potentially toxic and carcinogenic. Toxic
effects generally involve damage to the skin and liver.
PCBs have been found to cause reproductive problems in
humans and cancer in laboratory animals. Further sale and
new use of PCBs in the US was banned in 1979.(7)
Population at risk
A population subgroup that is more likely to be exposed
to a chemical, or is more sensitive to the chemical, than
is the general population.(1)
Potable water
Water that is safe for drinking and cooking.(1)
Radiation
Transmission of energy through space or any medium. Also
known as radiant energy.(1)
Radiation standards
Regulations that set maximum exposure limits for
protection of the public from radioactive materials.(1)
Radioisotopes
Chemical variants of an element with potentially
oncogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic effects on the
human body.(1)
Radon
A colorless naturally occurring, radioactive, inert gas
formed by radioactive decay of radium atoms in soil or
rocks.(1)
Radon
daughters/radon progeny
Short-lived radioactive decay products of radon that
decay into longer-lived lead isotopes. The daughter
isotopes can attach themselves to airborne dust and other
particles and, if inhaled, damage the lining of the lung.
Also known as radon decay products.(1)
Reference dose (RfD)
The concentration of a chemical known to cause health
problems; also referred to as the ADI, or acceptable
daily intake.(1)
Registration
Formal listing with EPA of a new pesticide before it can
be sold or distributed: under the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. EPA is responsible for
registration (pre-market licensing) of pesticides on the
basis of data demonstrating no unreasonable adverse
effects on human health or the environment when applied
according to approved label directions.(1)
Registry
A system for collecting and maintaining, in a structured
record, information on specific persons from a defined
population. Preliminary analyses and reviews are
performed.(2)
Release
Any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting,
emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching,
dumping, or disposing into the environment of a hazardous
or toxic chemical or extremely hazardous substance.(1)
Remedial response
Long-term action that stops or substantially reduces a
release or threat of a release of hazardous substances
that is serious but not an immediate threat to public
health.(1)
Right-to-Know
See Community Right-to-Know Reporting Requirements.()
Risk assessment
Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the risk posed
to human health and/or the environment by the actual or
potential presence and/or use of specific pollutants.(1)
Risk communication
The exchange of information about health or environmental
risks among risk assessors and managers, the general
public, news media, interest groups, etc.(1)
Risk factor
Characteristic (e.g., race, sex, age, obesity) or
variable (e.g., smoking, occupational exposure level)
associated with increased probability of a toxic effect.(1)
Siting
The process of choosing a location for a facility.(1)
Smog
Air pollution associated with oxidants. (See:
photochemical smog.)(1)
Solvent
A substance (usually liquid) capable of dissolving or
dispersing one or more other substances. Solvents include
alcohols, aldehydes, benzene, toluene, glycol ethers,
trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE),
formaldehyde and carbon tetrachloride. Drinking water is
an important source of solvent exposure; solvents also
pass rapidly through the skin and produce high levels in
the bloodstream within minutes after skin exposure.
Nearly all solvents can cause acute and chronic injury to
the central nervous system. Many solvents are associated
with development of kidney failure and chronic kidney
disease, and others can cause acute toxic damage to the
liver. The US Public Health Service has conclusively
established that benzene can cause leukemia, while other
solvents are suspected of being human carcinogens.(4), (6)
Superfund
The program operated under the legislative authority of
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), and Superfund
Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) that
funds and carries out EPA solid waste emergency and
long-term removal and remedial activities. These
activities include establishing the National Priorities
List, investigating sites for inclusion on the list,
determining their priority, and conducting and/or
supervising the site cleanup and other remedial actions.(1)
Superfund Amendments
and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
The 1986 legislation that broadened ATSDR's
responsibilities in the areas of public health
assessments, establishment and maintenance of toxicologic
databases, information dissemination, and medical
education.(2)
Teratogens
Substances that cause malformation or serious deviation
from normal development of embryos and fetuses.(8)
Tolerances
Permissible residue levels for pesticides in raw
agricultural produce and processed foods. Whenever a
pesticide is registered for use on a food or a feed crop,
a tolerance (or exemption from the tolerance requirement)
must be established. EPA establishes the tolerance
levels, which are enforced by the Food and Drug
Administration and the Department of Agriculture.(1)
Toxic Release
Inventory (TRI)
Database of toxic releases in the United States compiled
from Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986
(SARA) Title III Section 313 reports.(1)
Toxicant/toxic
substance
A human-made chemical or mixture that presents a risk of
death, disease, injury or birth defects in organisms that
ingest or absorb them.(1), (5)
Toxicological
profile
An examination, summary and interpretation of a hazardous
substance to determine levels of exposure and associated
health effects.(1)
Toxicology
The study of the nature, effects and detection of poisons
in living organisms.(5)
Toxin
A naturally occuring substance or agent that may injure
an exposed organism.(5)
Transgenerational
effect
A health effect that occurs in the child or subsequent
offspring of the person who is exposed to an
environmental toxin/toxicant.(5)
Volatile organic
compounds (VOCs)
Substances containing carbon and different proportions of
other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine,
chlorine, bromine, sulfur, or nitrogen; these substances
easily become vapors or gases. A significant number of
VOCs are commonly used as solvents (paint thinners,
lacquer thinners, degreasers, and dry cleaning fluids).(2)
Water quality
criteria
Levels of water quality expected to render a body of
water suitable for its designated use. Criteria are based
on specific levels of pollutants that would make the
water harmful if used for drinking, swimming, farming,
fish production, or industrial processes.(1)
Wood treatment
facility
An industrial facility that treats lumber and other wood
products for outdoor use. The process employs chromated
copper arsenate, which is regulated as a hazardous
material.(1)
Wood-burning-stove
pollution
Air pollution caused by emissions of particulate matter,
carbon monoxide, total suspended particulates, and
polycyclic organic matter from wood-burning stoves.(1)
1. Glossary
of Terms. US Environmental Protection Agency World
Wide Website:
http://www.epa.gov/r10earth/offices.air/glossary.html
2. Glossary
of Terms. Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases
Registry World Wide Website:
http://atsdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov:8080/glossary.html
3. Environmental Issues in Primary Care.
Murdock, BS. Minnesota Department of Health: 1991.
4. Environmental Regulatory Glossary, 6th
ed. Sullivan, Thomas FP. Rockville, MD: Government
Institutes Inc., 1993.
5. Children's Environmental Health
Network
6. Raising Children Toxic Free.
Needleman, HL and Landrigan, PJ. New York, NY: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux, 1994.
7. Dictionary of Dangerous Pollutants,
Ecology and Environment. David F Tver. New York, NY:
Industrial Press, Inc., 1981.
8. Dictionary and Thesaurus of
Environmental Health and Safety. US Department of Energy,
Office of Environmental Safety and Health, Boca Raton,
FL: CK Smoley, 1992.
9. Center for Bioenvironmental Research
of Tulane and Xavier Universities, Environmental
Concepts Made Easy Web Site:
http://www.tmc.tulane.edu/ECME/
|
|
