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441

Glossary of Environmental Terms

Abatement. Reducing the degree or intensity of,or eliminating, pollution.

Absorption. The passage of one substance intoor through another; e.g., an operation in whichone or more soluble components of a gas mix-ture are dissolved in a liquid.

Accident site. The location of an unexpected oc-currence, failure, or loss, either at a plant or alonga transportation route, resulting in a release ofhazardous materials.

Acid deposition. A complex chemical and atmo-spheric phenomenon that occurs when emissions

of sulfur and nitrogen compounds and other sub-stances are transformed by chemical processesin the atmosphere, often far from the originalsources, and then deposited on earth in either awet or a dry form. The wet forms, popularlycalled acid rain, can fall as rain, snow, or fog.The dry forms are acidic gases or particulates.

Acid rain. See Acid deposition

Activated carbon. A highly adsorbent form ofcarbon used to remove odors and toxic sub-

stances from liquid or gaseous emissions. Inwaste treatment, it is used to remove dissolvedorganic matter from wastewater. It is also usedin motor vehicle evaporative control systems.

Activated sludge. Residue that results when pri-mary effluent is mixed with bacteria-laden sludgeand then agitated and aerated to promote bio-logical treatment. This speeds breakdown of or-

ganic matter in raw sewage undergoing second-ary wastewater treatment.

Active ingredient. In any pesticide product, thecomponent that kills, or otherwise controls, tar-get pests. Pesticides are regulated primarily onthe basis of active ingredients.

Acute exposure. A single exposure to a toxic sub-stance that results in severe biological harm ordeath. Acute exposures are usually characterizedas lasting no longer than a day.

Acute toxicity. The ability of a substance to causepoisonous effects resulting in severe biological

harm or death soon after a single exposure ordose; also, any severe poisonous effect resultingfrom a single short-term exposure to a toxic sub-stance. See also Chronic toxicity; Toxicity

Adaptation. Changes in an organisms struc-ture or habit that help it adjust to its surround-ings.

Add-on control device. An air pollution con-trol device such as a carbon adsorber or incin-erator that reduces the pollution in an exhaust

gas. The control device usually does not affectthe process being controlled and thus is add-on technology as opposed to a scheme to con-trol pollution by making some alteration to thebasic process.

Adsorption. 1. Adhesion of molecules of gas, liq-uid, or dissolved solids to a surface. 2. An ad-vanced method of treating wastes in which

Note: This glossary is based on United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Communications and PublicAffairs, Glossary of Environmental Terms and Acronym List, 19K-1002 (Washington, D.C., December 1989).

Pollution Prevention and Abatement HandbookWORLD BANK GROUP

Effective July 1998


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442 POLLUTION PREVENTION AND ABATEMENT HANDBOOK

activated carbon removes organic matter fromwastewater.

Advanced wastewater treatment. Any treatmentof sewage that goes beyond the secondary or bio-logical water treatment stage and includes theremoval of nutrients such as phosphorus and ni-trogen and a high percentage of suspended sol-ids. See also Primary wastewater treatment;Secondary wastewater treatment

Aeration. A process that promotes biologicaldegradation of organic water. The process maybe passive (as when waste is exposed to air), or

active (as when a mixing or bubbling device in-troduces the air).

Aerobic. Life or processes that require, or are notdestroyed by, the presence of oxygen. See alsoAnaerobic

Aerobic treatment. Process by which microbesdecompose complex organic compounds in thepresence of oxygen and use the liberated en-ergy for reproduction and growth. Types ofaerobic processes include extended aeration,trickling filtration, and rotating biologicalcontactors.

Aerosol. A suspension of liquid or solid particlesin a gas.

Agricultural pollution. The liquid and solidwastes from farming, including runoff and leach-ing of pesticides and fertilizers; erosion and dustfrom plowing; animal manure and carcasses; andcrop residues and debris.

Airborne particulates. Total suspended par-ticulate matter found in the atmosphere as solidparticles or liquid droplets. The chemical com-position of particulates varies widely, depend-ing on location and time of year. Airborneparticulates include windblown dust, emissionsfrom industrial processes, smoke from the burn-ing of wood and coal, and the exhaust of motorvehicles.

Air mass. A widespread body of air that gains cer-tain meteorological or polluted characteristics

for example, a heat inversion or smokinesswhile standing in one location. The characteris-

tics can change as the air mass moves away. Seealso Inversion

Air monitoring. See Monitoring.

Air pollutant. Any substance in air that could,in high enough concentration, harm human be-ings, other animals, vegetation, or material. Pol-lutants may include almost any natural orartificial composition of matter capable of beingairborne. They may be in the form of solid par-ticles, liquid droplets, gases, or combinations of

these states. Generally, they fall into two maingroups: (a) those emitted directly from identifi-able sources and (b) those produced in the air byinteraction between two or more primary pollut-ants or by reaction with normal atmospheric con-stituents, with or without photoactivation.Exclusive of pollen, fog, and dust, which are ofnatural origin, about 100 contaminants have beenidentified. They fall into the following categories:solids, sulfur compounds, volatile organic chemi-cals, nitrogen compounds, oxygen compounds,halogen compounds, radioactive compounds,and odors.

Air pollution. The presence of contaminant orpollutant substances in the air that do not dis-perse properly and interfere with human healthor welfare or produce other harmful environmen-tal effects.

Air pollution episode. A period of abnormallyhigh concentration of air pollutants, often due tolow winds and temperature inversion, that cancause illness and death. See also Inversion

Algae. Simple rootless plants that grow in sunlitwaters in relative proportion to the amounts ofnutrients available. They can affect water qual-ity adversely by lowering the dissolved oxygenin the water. Algae are food for fish and smallaquatic animals.

Algal blooms. Sudden spurts of algal growth thatcan affect water quality adversely and that indi-cate potentially hazardous changes in local wa-ter chemistry.


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443Glossary of Environmental Terms

Ambient air. Any unconfined portion of the at-mosphere: open air, surrounding air.

Anaerobic. A life or process that occurs in, or isnot destroyed by, the absence of oxygen.

Aquifer. An underground geological formation,or group of formations, containing usableamounts of groundwater that can supply wellsand springs.

Assimilation. The ability of a body of water topurify itself of pollutants.

Atmosphere (as a measurement). A standard unitof pressure representing the pressure exerted bya 29.92-inch column of mercury at sea level at45 latitude and equal to 1,000 grams per squarecentimeter.

Attenuation. The process by which a compoundis reduced in concentration over time, throughadsorption, degradation, dilution, or transforma-tion.

Background level. In air pollution control, the

concentration of air pollutants in a definite areaduring a fixed period of time prior to the start-ing up or on the stoppage of a source of emissionunder control. In toxic substances monitoring, theaverage presence in the environment, originallyreferring to naturally occurring phenomena.

Bacteria (singular: bacterium). Microscopic liv-ing organisms that can aid in pollution controlby consuming or breaking down organic matterin sewage or by similarly acting on oil spills orother water pollutants. Bacteria in soil, water, orair can cause human, animal, and plant healthproblems.

Baghouse filter. Large fabric bag, usually madeof glass fibers, used to eliminate intermediate andlarge (greater than 20 microns in diameter) par-ticles. This device operates in a way similar tothe bag of an electric vacuum cleaner, passing theair and smaller particulate matter while entrap-ping the larger particulates.

Bar screen. In wastewater treatment, a deviceused to remove large solids.

Benthic organism (benthos). A form of aquaticplant or animal life found on or near the bottom

of a stream, lake, or ocean.

Bioaccumulative. Substances that are veryslowly metabolized or excreted by living organ-isms and thus increase in concentration withinthe organisms as the organisms breathe con-taminated air, drink contaminated water, or eatcontaminated food. See also Biological magni-fication

Bioassay. Using living organisms to measure theeffect of a substance, factor, or condition by com-

paring before-and-after data; often used to meancancer bioassays.

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). A measureof the amount of oxygen consumed in the bio-logical processes that break down organic mat-ter in water. The greater the BOD, the greater thedegree of pollution. In this Handbook, BOD isunderstood to be BOD5, the amount of dissolvedoxygen so consumed in five days.

Biodegradable. The ability to break down ordecompose rapidly under natural conditions andprocesses.

Biological control. In pest control, the use of ani-mals and organisms that eat or otherwise kill oroutcompete pests.

Biological magnification. Refers to the processwhereby certain substances such as pesticides orheavy metals move up the food chain, work theirway into a river or lake, and are eaten by aquaticorganisms such as fish, which in turn are eatenby large birds, animals, or humans. The sub-stances become concentrated in tissues or inter-nal organs as they move up the chain.

Biological oxidation. The way bacteria and mi-croorganisms feed on and decompose complexorganic materials; used in self-purification ofwater bodies and in activated sludge wastewa-ter treatment.

Biological treatment. A treatment technologythat uses bacteria to consume waste and thusbreak down organic materials.


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Biomass. All the living material in a given area;often refers to vegetation. Also called biota.

Biomonitoring. 1. The use of living organismsto test the suitability of effluents for dischargeinto receiving waters and to test the quality ofsuch waters downstream from the discharge.2. Analysis of blood, urine, tissues, etc., to mea-sure chemical exposure in humans.

Biotechnology. Techniques that use living organ-isms or parts of organisms to produce a varietyof productsfrom medicines to industrial en-zymesto improve plants or animals or to develop

microorganisms for specific uses such as remov-ing toxics from bodies of water or for pesticides.

BOD5. The amount of dissolved oxygen con-sumed in five days by biological processes break-ing down organic matter.

Brackish water. A mixture of fresh and saltwater.

Bubble.A system under which existing emissionssources can propose alternate means for comply-

ing with a set of emissions limitations; under thebubble concept, sources can hold emissions to alower level, where this is cost-effective, in returnfor a comparable realization of controls at a sec-ond emission point where costs are higher.

By-product. Material, other than the principalproduct, that is generated as a consequence ofan industrial process.

Cadmium (Cd). A heavy metal element that ac-cumulates in the environment.

Carbon adsorber. An add-on control device thatuses activated carbon to absorb volatile organiccompounds (VOCs) from a gas stream. The VOCsare later recovered from the carbon.

Carbon dioxide (CO2). A colorless, odorless, non-poisonous gas that results from fossil fuel com-bustion and is normally a part of the ambient air.

Carbon monoxide (CO). A colorless, odorless,poisonous gas produced by incomplete fossil fuelcombustion.

Carcinogen.Any substance that can cause or con-tribute to the production of cancer.

Catalytic converter. An air pollution abatementdevice that removes pollutants from motor ve-hicle exhaust, either by oxidizing them into car-bon dioxide and water or by reducing them tonitrogen and oxygen.

Catalytic incinerator. A control device that oxi-dizes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by us-ing a catalyst to promote the combustion process.Catalytic incinerators require lower temperaturesthan conventional thermal incinerators, yielding

fuel and cost savings.

Cells. 1. In solid waste disposal, holes in whichwaste is dumped, compacted, and covered withlayers of dirt on a daily basis. 2. The smalleststructural part of living matter capable of func-tioning as an independent unit.

Chemical oxygen demand (COD). A measure ofthe oxygen required to oxidize all compounds inwater, both organic and inorganic.

Chemical treatment.Any one of a variety of tech-nologies that use chemicals or a variety of chemi-

cal processes to treat waste.

Chlorinated hydrocarbons. A category whichincludes a class of persistent, broad-spectruminsecticides that linger in the environment andaccumulate in the food chain. Among them areDDT, aldrin, dieldrin, heptaclor, chlordane, lin-dane, endrin, mirex, hexachloride, and tox-aphene. Trichloroethylene (TCE), used as anindustrial solvent, is also a chlorinated hydro-carbon.

Chlorinated solvent. An organic solvent contain-ing chlorine atoms, e.g., methylene chloride and1,1,1-trichloromethane, which is used in aerosolspray containers and in roadway paint.

Chlorination. The application of chlorine todrinking water, sewage, or industrial waste todisinfect or to oxidize undesirable compounds.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). A family of inert,nontoxic, and easily liquefied chemicals used in


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refrigeration, air conditioning, packaging, andinsulation or as solvents and aerosol propellants.

Because CFCs are not destroyed in the lower at-mosphere, they drift into the upper atmosphere,where their chlorine components destroy ozone.

Chromium. See Heavy metals

Chronic toxicity. The capacity of a substance tocause long-term poisonous human health effects.See also Acute toxicity

Cleanup. Actions taken to deal with a release orthreat of release of a hazardous substance that

could affect humans, the environment, or both.The term is sometimes used interchangeably withthe terms remedial action, removal action, responseaction, or corrective action.

Coagulation. A clumping of particles in waste-water to settle out impurities; often induced bychemicals such as lime, alum, and iron salts.

Coliform index. A rating of the purity of waterbased on a count of fecal bacteria.

Coliform organism. Microorganisms found inthe intestinal tracts of humans and animals. Theirpresence in water indicates fecal pollution andpotentially dangerous bacterial contamination bydisease-causing microorganisms.

Combined sewers. A sewer system that carriesboth sewage and stormwater runoff. Normally,its entire flow goes to a waste treatment plant,but during a heavy storm the stormwater volumemay be so great as to cause overflows. When thishappens, untreated mixtures of stormwater andsewage may flow into receiving waters. Storm-water runoff may also carry toxic chemicals fromindustrial areas or streets into the sewer system.

Comminution. Mechanical shredding or pulver-izing of waste; used in both solid waste manage-ment and wastewater treatment.

Compaction. Reduction of the bulk of solid wasteby rolling and tamping.

Composting. The natural biological decompo-sition of organic material in the presence of air

to form a humus-like material. Controlledmethods of composting include mechanical

mixing and aerating, ventilating the materialsby dropping them through a vertical series ofaerated chambers, or placing the compost inpiles in the open air and mixing or turning itperiodically.

Contaminant. Any physical, chemical, biologi-cal, or radiological substance or matter that hasan adverse affect on air, water, or soil.

Conventional systems. Sewerage systems thathave been traditionally used to collect munici-

pal wastewater in gravity sewers and convey itto a central primary or secondary treatment plantprior to discharge to surface waters.

Cooling tower. A structure that helps removeheat from water used as a coolant, e.g., in elec-tric power generating plants.

Corrosion. The dissolving and wearing away ofmetal caused by a chemical reaction that occursbetween water and the pipes that the water con-tacts, or when chemicals touching a metal sur-face, or when two metals are in contact.

Cover material. Soil used to cover compactedsolid waste in a sanitary landfill.

Cubic feet per minute (cfm). A measure of thevolume of a substance flowing through air withina fixed period of time. With regard to indoor air,refers to the amount of air, in cubic feet, that isexchanged with indoor air in a minutes time, oran air exchange rate.

Curie. A quantitative measure of radioactivityequal to 3.7 x 1010 disintegrations per second.

Cyclone collector. A device that uses centrifu-gal force to pull large particles from pollutedair.

Decomposition. The breakdown of matter bybacteria and fungi; changes the chemical makeupand physical appearance of materials.

Degradation. The process by which a chemicalis reduced to a less complex form.


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Denitrification. The anaerobic biological reduc-tion of nitrate nitrogen to nitrogen gas.

Desulfurization. Removal of sulfur from fossilfuels to reduce pollution.

Detergent. Synthetic washing agent that helpsto remove dirt and oil. Some detergents containcompounds that kill useful bacteria and encour-age algal growth when they are discharged inwastewater that reaches receiving waters.

Digester. In wastewater treatment, a closed tank;in solid waste conversion, a unit in which bacte-

rial action is induced and accelerated to breakdown organic matter and establish the propercarbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

Dilution ratio. The relationship between the vol-ume of water in a stream and the volume of in-coming water; it affects the ability of the streamto assimilate waste.

Dioxin. Any of a family of compounds knownchemically as dibenzo-p-dioxins. Concern aboutthem arises from their potential toxicity and con-

tamination in commercial products. Tests on labo-ratory animals indicate that it is one of the moretoxic man-made chemicals known.

Disinfectant. A chemical or physical process thatkills pathogenic organisms in water. Chlorine isoften used to disinfect sewage treatment efflu-ent, water supplies, wells, and swimming pools.

Dispersant. A chemical agent used to break up con-centrations of organic material such as spilled oil.

Disposal. Final placement or destruction of toxic,radioactive, or other wastes; surplus or bannedpesticides or other chemicals; polluted soils; anddrums containing hazardous materials from re-moval actions or accidental releases. Disposalmay be accomplished through use of approvedsecure landfills, surface impoundments, landfarming, deep well injection, ocean dumping, orincineration.

Dissolved oxygen (DO). The oxygen freely avail-able in water; vital to fish and other aquatic life

and for the prevention of odors. Traditionally, thelevel of dissolved oxygen has been accepted as

the single most important indicator of the abilityof a water body to support desirable aquatic life.Secondary wastewater treatment and advancedwastewater treatment are generally designed toprotect DO in waste-receiving waters.

Dissolved solids. Disintegrated organic and in-organic material contained in water. Excessiveamounts make water unfit for drinking or for usein industrial processes.

Distillation. The act of purifying liquids through

boiling so that the steam condenses to a pure liq-uid and the pollutants remain in a concentratedresidue.

Dump. A site used to dispose of solid wasteswithout environmental controls.

Ecology. The relationship of living things to oneanother and their environment, or the study ofsuch relationships.

Ecosystem. The interacting system of a biologi-

cal community and its nonliving environmentalsurroundings.

Effluent. Wastewatertreated or untreatedthat flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or in-dustrial outfall; generally refers to wastesdischarged into surface waters.

Effluent limitation. Restrictions established bya national environmental agency or by asubnational jurisdiction on quantities, rates, andconcentrations in wastewater discharges.

Electrostatic precipitator (ESP). An air pollu-tion control device that removes particles froma gas stream (smoke) after combustion occurs.The ESP imparts an electrical charge to the par-ticles, causing them to adhere to metal platesinside the precipitator. Rapping on the platescauses the particles to fall into a hopper fordisposal.

Emission. Pollution discharged into the atmo-sphere from smokestacks, other vents, and sur-


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face areas of commercial or industrial facilities,from residential chimneys; and from motor ve-

hicle, locomotive, or aircraft exhausts.

Emission factor. The relationship between theamount of pollution produced and the amountof raw material processed. For example, an emis-sion factor for a blast furnace making iron wouldbe the number of pounds of particulates per tonof raw material.

Emission standard. The maximum amount of air-polluting discharge legally allowed from a singlesource, mobile or stationary.

Enrichment. The addition of nutrients (e.g., ni-trogen, phosphorus, or carbon compounds) fromsewage effluent or agricultural runoff to surfacewater. This process greatly increases the growthpotential of algae and aquatic plants.

Environment. The sum of all external conditionsaffecting the life, development, and survival ofan organism.

Environmental assessment (EA). A process

whose breadth, depth, and type of analysis de-pend on the proposed project. EA evaluates aprojects potential environmental risks and im-pacts in its area of influence and identifies waysof improving project design and implementationby preventing, minimizing, mitigating, or com-pensating for adverse environmental impacts andby enhancing positive impacts.

Environmental audit. 1. An independent assess-ment of the current status of a partys compliancewith applicable environmental requirements.2. An independent evaluation of a partys en-vironmental compliance policies, practices, andcontrols.

Eutrophication. The slow aging process duringwhich a lake, estuary, or bay evolves into a bogor marsh and eventually disappears. During thelater stages of eutrophication the water body ischoked by abundant plant life as the result ofincreased amounts of nutritive compounds suchas nitrogen and phosphorus. Human activitiescan accelerate the process.

Evapotranspiration. The loss of water from thesoil both by evaporation and by transpiration

from the plants growing in the soil.

Exposure. A potential health threat to the livingorganisms in the environment due to the amountof radiation or pollutant present in the environment.

Fabric filter. A cloth device that catches dust par-ticles from industrial emissions.

Fecal coliform bacteria. Bacteria found in theintestinal tracts of mammals. Their presence inwater or sludge is an indicator of pollution and

possible contamination by pathogens.

Fertilizer. Materials such as nitrogen and phos-phorus that provide nutrients for plants. Com-mercially sold fertilizers may contain otherchemicals or may be in the form of processed sew-age sludge.

Filtration. A treatment process, under the controlof qualified operators, for removing solid (par-ticulate) matter from water by passing the waterthrough porous media such as sand or a man-

made filter. The process is often used to removeparticles that contain pathogenic organisms.

Flocculation. The process by which clumps ofsolids in water or sewage are made to increase insize by biological or chemical action so that theycan be separated from the water.

Flowmeter. A gauge that shows the speed ofwastewater moving through a treatment plant;also used to measure the speed of liquids mov-ing through various industrial processes.

Flue gas. Vented air coming out of a chimneyafter combustion in the burner; can include ni-trogen oxides, carbon oxides, water vapor, sul-fur oxides, particles, and many chemicalpollutants.

Flue gas desulfurization. A technology that usesa sorbent, usually lime or limestone, to removesulfur dioxide from the gases produced by burn-ing fossil fuels. Flue gas desulfurization is cur-rently the state-of-the-art technology in use by


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major sulfur dioxide emitters such as powerplants.

Fluorides. Gaseous, solid, or dissolved com-pounds containing fluorine that result from in-dustrial processes; excessive amounts in food canlead to fluorosis.

Fluorocarbon (FCs). Any of a number of organiccompounds analogous to hydrocarbons in whichone or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by fluo-rine. Once used in the United States as a propel-lant in aerosols, they are now primarily used incoolants and some industrial processes. FCs con-

taining chlorine are called chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs). They are believed to be modifying theozone layer in the stratosphere, thereby allow-ing more harmful solar radiation to reach theEarths surface.

Fly ash. Noncombustible residual particles fromthe combustion process carried by flue gas.

Food chain. A sequence of organisms each ofwhich uses the next lower member of the se-quence as a food source.

Fugitive emissions. Emissions not caught by acapture system.

Geiger counter. An electrical device that detectsthe presence of certain types of radioactivity.

Generator. A facility or mobile source that emitspollutants into the air or releases hazardouswastes into water or soil.

Granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment. Afiltering system often used in small water sys-tems and individual homes to remove organics.GAC can be highly effective in removing elevatedlevels of radon from water.

Greenhouse effect. The warming of the Earthsatmosphere caused by a buildup of carbon diox-ide or other trace gases; many scientists believethat this buildup allows light from the suns raysto heat the Earth but prevents a counterbalanc-ing loss of heat.

Groundwater. The supply of fresh water foundbeneath the Earths surface (usually in aqui-

fers), which is often used for supplying wellsand springs. Because groundwater is a majorsource of drinking water, there is growing con-cern about areas where leaching agriculturalor industrial pollutants or substances fromleaking underground storage tanks are con-taminating it.

Habitat. The place where a population (e.g., hu-man, animal, plant, or microorganism) lives, andits surroundings, both living and nonliving.

Half-life. 1. The time required for a pollutant tolose half its effect on the environment. For ex-ample, the half-life of DDT in the environment is15 years and that of radium is 1,580 years. 2. Thetime required for half of the atoms of a radioac-tive element to undergo decay. 3. The time re-quired for the elimination of half of a total dosefrom the body.

Hazardous wastes. By-products of society thatcan pose a substantial or potential hazard to hu-man health or the environment when improperlymanaged. Substances classified as hazardouswastes possess at least one of four characteris-ticsignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, ortoxicityor appear on special lists.

Heavy metals. Metallic elements with atomicnumber greater than 20, such as mercury and lead.They can damage living things at low concentra-tions and tend to accumulate in the food chain.

Herbicide. A chemical pesticide designed to con-trol or destroy plants, weeds, or grasses.

Holding pond. A pond or reservoir, usually madeof earth, built to store polluted runoff.

Hydrocarbons (HC). Chemical compounds thatconsist entirely of carbon and hydrogen.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS). Gas emitted during or-ganic decomposition and as a by-product of oilrefining and burning. It smells like rotten eggsand, in heavy concentration, can cause illness.


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Hydrology. The science dealing with the proper-ties, distribution, and circulation of water.

Impoundment. A body of water or sludge con-fined by a dam, dike, floodgate, or other bar-rier.

Incineration. 1. Burning of certain types of solid,liquid, or gaseous materials. 2. A treatment tech-nology involving destruction of waste by con-trolled burning at high temperatures, e.g.,burning sludge to remove the water and reducethe remaining residues to a safe, nonburnable ashthat can be disposed of safely on land, in some

waters, or in underground locations.

Incinerator. A furnace for burning wastes undercontrolled conditions.

Indicator. In biology, an organism, species, orcommunity whose characteristics show the pres-ence of specific environmental conditions.

Indirect discharge. Introduction of pollutantsfrom a nondomestic source into a publicly ownedwaste treatment system. Indirect dischargers canbe commercial or industrial facil ities whosewastes go into the local sewers.

Infiltration. 1. The penetration of water throughthe ground surface into subsurface soil or thepenetration of water from the soil into sewer orother pipes through defective joints, connections,or manhole walls. 2. A land application techniquewhereby large volumes of wastewater are appliedto land and allowed to penetrate the surface andpercolate through the underlying soil. See alsoPercolation

Inorganic chemicals. Chemical substances ofmineral origin, not of basically carbon structure.

Insecticide. A pesticide compound specificallyused to kill or control the growth of insects.

Instream use. Water use taking place within astream channel, e.g., hydroelectric power genera-tion, navigation, water quality improvement, fishpropagation, or recreation.

Inversion. An atmospheric condition that oc-curs when a layer of warm air prevents the rise

of cooling air trapped beneath it. This in turnprevents the rise of pollutants that might oth-erwise be dispersed and can cause an air pol-lution episode.

Ion exchange treatment. A water-softeningmethod often found on a large scale at waterpurification plants; the treatment removes someorganics and radium by adding calcium oxideor calcium hydroxide to increase the pH to a levelat which the metals will precipitate out.

Irrigation. Technique for applying water orwastewater to land areas to supply the water andnutrient needs of plants.

Lagoon. 1. A shallow pond in which sunlight,bacterial action, and oxygen work to purifywastewater; also used for storage of wastewatersor spent nuclear fuel rods. 2. A shallow body ofwater, often separated from the sea by coral reefsor sandbars.

Land application. Discharge of wastewateronto the ground for treatment or reuse. See alsoIrrigation

Landfills. 1. Sanitary landfills are land disposalsites for nonhazardous solid wastes at whichwastes are spread in layers, compacted to thesmallest practical volume, and covered at the endof each operating day. 2. Secure chemical landfillsare disposal sites for hazardous wastes that areselected and designed to minimize the chanceof release of hazardous substances into the envi-ronment.

Leachate. A liquid that results when water col-lects contaminants as it trickles through wastes,agricultural pesticides, or fertilizers.

Leaching. The process by which soluble constitu-ents are dissolved and carried down through thesoil by a percolating fluid. Leaching may occurin farming areas, feedlots, and landfills and mayresult in hazardous substances entering surfacewater, groundwater, or soil. See also Leachate


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Limnology. The study of the physical, chemical,meteorological, and biological aspects of fresh

water.

Liner. 1. A relatively impermeable barrier de-signed to prevent leachate from leaking from alandfill. Liner materials include plastic and denseclay. 2. An insert or sleeve for sewer pipes to pre-vent leakage or infiltration.

Mechanical aeration. Use of mechanical energyto inject air into water, causing a waste stream toabsorb oxygen.

Methane. A colorless, nonpoisonous, flammablegas created by anaerobic decomposition of or-ganic compounds.

Microbes. Microscopic organisms such as algae,viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, some ofwhich cause disease.

Mitigation. Measures taken to reduce adverseimpacts on the environment.

Mixed liquor. A mixture of activated sludge and

water containing organic matter undergoing ac-tivated sludge treatment in an aeration tank.

Mobile source. A moving producer of air pollu-tion, mainly forms of transport such as cars,trucks, motorcycles, and airplanes.

Modeling. An investigative technique using amathematical or physical representation of a sys-tem or theory that accounts for all or some of itsknown properties. Models are often used to testthe effect of changes in system components onthe overall performance of the system.

Monitoring. Periodic or continuous surveillanceor testing to determine the level of compliancewith statutory requirements or pollutant levelsin various media or in humans, animals, andother living things.

Monitoring wells. Wells drilled at a site to col-lect groundwater samples for the purpose ofphysical, chemical, or biological analysis to de-termine the amounts, types, and distribution of

contaminants in the groundwater beneath thesite.

Mutagen. Any substance that can cause a changein genetic material.

Neutralization. Decreasing the acidity or alka-linity of a substance by adding to it alkaline oracidic materials, respectively.

Nitrate. A compound containing nitrogen thatcan exist in the atmosphere or as a dissolved gasin water and can have harmful effects on humansand animals. Nitrates in water can cause severe

illness in infants and cows.

Nitric oxide (NO). A gas formed by combustionunder high temperature and high pressure in aninternal combustion engine. It changes to nitro-gen dioxide in the ambient air and contributes tophotochemical smog.

Nitrification. The process whereby ammonia inwastewater is oxidized to nitrite and then to ni-trate by bacterial or chemical reactions.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The result of nitric ox-ide combining with oxygen in the atmosphere; amajor component of photochemical smog.

Nitrogenous wastes. Animal or vegetable residuesthat contain significant amounts of nitrogen.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx). Products of combustionfrom transport and stationary sources and majorcontributors to acid deposition and the forma-tion of ground-level ozone in the troposphere.

Nonpoint sources.Pollution sources that are dif-fuse and do not have a single point of origin or

are not introduced into a receiving stream froma specific outlet. The pollutants are generally car-ried off the land by storm-water runoff. The com-monly used categories for nonpoint sources areagriculture, forestry, urban, mining, construction,dams and channels, land disposal, and saltwaterintrusion.

Nutrient. Any substance assimilated by livingthings that promotes growth. The term is gener-


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ally applied to nitrogen and phosphorus in waste-water but is also applied to other essential and

trace elements.

Organic. 1. Referring to or derived from livingorganisms. 2. In chemistry, any compound con-taining carbon.

Organic chemicals/compounds. Animal- orplant-produced substances containing mainlycarbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Organophosphates.Pesticide chemicals that con-tain phosphorus; used to control insects. They are

short-lived, but some can be toxic when firstapplied.

Outfall. The place where an effluent is dischargedinto receiving waters.

Overburden. The rock and soil cleared away be-fore mining.

Overland flow. A land application technique thatcleanses waste by allowing it to flow over asloped surface. As the water flows over the sur-

face, the contaminants are removed. The wateris collected at the bottom of the slope for reuse.

Oxidation. 1. The addition of oxygen, whichbreaks down organic waste or chemicals such ascyanides, phenols, and organic sulfur com-pounds in sewage by bacterial and chemicalmeans. 2. Oxygen combining with other ele-ments. 3. The process in chemistry whereby elec-trons are removed from a molecule.

Oxidation pond. A man-made lake or body ofwater in which liquid waste is consumed by bac-teria. It is used most frequently with other wa-ter-treatment processes. An oxidation pond isbasically the same as a sewage lagoon.

Ozone (O3). Found in two layers of the atmo-sphere, the troposphere and the stratosphere. Inthe troposphere (the layer extending 7 to 10 milesup from the Earths surface), ozone is a chemicaloxidant and major component of photochemi-cal smog. In the stratosphere (the atmosphericlayer beginning 7 to 10 miles above the Earths

surface), ozone is a form of oxygen found natu-rally that provides a protective layer shielding

the Earth from the harmful health effects of ul-traviolet radiation on humans and the environ-ment.

Ozone depletion. Destruction of the strato-spheric ozone layer that shields the Earth fromultraviolet radiation harmful to biological life.This destruction of ozone is caused by the break-down of certain chlorine- or bromine-containingcompounds (chlorofluorocarbons or halons) thatbreak down when they reach the stratosphere andcatalytically destroy ozone molecules.

Particulates. Fine liquid or solid particles, suchas dust, smoke, mist, fumes, or smog, found inair or emissions.

Pathogenic. Capable of causing disease.

Pathogens. Microorganisms that can cause dis-ease in other organisms or in humans, other ani-mals, and plants. They may be bacteria, viruses,or parasites and are found in sewage, in runofffrom animal farms or rural areas populated withdomestic or wild animals, and in water used forswimming. Fish and shellfish contaminated bypathogens, or the contaminated water itself, cancause serious illness.

Percolation. The movement of water downwardand radially through the subsurface soil layers, usu-ally continuing downward to the groundwater.

Permeability. The rate at which liquids passthrough soil or other materials in a specifieddirection.

Permit. An authorization, license, or equivalentcontrol document issued by an approved agencyto implement the requirements of an environ-mental regulation; e.g., a permit to operate awastewater treatment plant or to operate a facil-ity that may generate harmful emissions.

Persistence. Refers to the length of time a com-pound, once introduced into the environment,stays there. A compound may persist for less thana second or indefinitely.


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Pesticide. Substance or mixture of substancesintended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or

mitigating any pest. Also, any substance or mix-ture of substances intended for use as a plantregulator, defoliant, or desiccant. Pesticides canaccumulate in the food chain or contaminate theenvironment if misused.

pH. A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of aliquid or solid material.

Phenols. Organic compounds that are byprod-ucts of petroleum refining, tanning, and textile,dye, and resin manufacturing. Low concentra-

tions cause taste and odor problems in water;higher concentrations can kill aquatic life andhumans.

Phosphates. Certain chemical compounds con-taining phosphorus.

Phosphorus. An essential chemical food elementthat can contribute to the eutrophication of lakesand other water bodies. Increased phosphoruslevels result from discharge of phosphorus-con-taining materials into surface waters.

Photochemical oxidants. Air pollutants formedby the action of sunlight on oxides of nitrogenand hydrocarbons.

Photosynthesis. The manufacture of carbohy-drates and oxygen by plants from carbon diox-ide and water in the presence of chlorophyll,using sunlight as an energy source.

Physical and chemical treatment. Processes gen-erally used in large-scale wastewater treatmentfacilities. Physical processes may involve airstripping or filtration. Chemical treatment in-cludes coagulation, chlorination, or ozone addi-tion. The term can also refer to treatment of toxicmaterials in surface waters and groundwater, oilspills, and some methods of dealing with haz-ardous materials on or in the ground.

Phytoplankton. That portion of the planktoncommunity comprised of tiny plants, e.g., algae,diatoms.

Phytotoxic. Something that harms plants.

Plume. 1. Visible or measurable discharge of acontaminant from a given point of origin; can bevisible or thermal in water or visible in the air as,for example, a plume of smoke. 2. The area ofmeasurable and potentially harmful radiationleaking from a damaged reactor. 3. The distancefrom a toxic release considered dangerous forthose exposed to the leaking fumes.

Point source. A stationary location or fixed facilityfrom which pollutants are discharged or emitted;any single identifiable source of pollution, e.g., a

pipe, ditch, ship, ore pit, or factory smokestack.

Pollutant. Generally, the presence of matter orenergy whose nature, location, or quantity pro-duces undesired environmental effects. Under theU.S. Clean Water Act, for example, the term isdefined as the man-made or man-induced alter-ation of the physical, biological, and radiologi-cal integrity of water.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). a group oftoxic, persistent chemicals used in transformersand capacitators for insulating purposes and ingas pipeline systems as a lubricant.

Polyelectrolytes. Synthetic chemicals that helpsolids to clump during sewage treatment.

Polymers. The basic molecular ingredients inplastic.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). A tough, environmen-tally indestructible plastic that releases hydro-chloric acid when burned.

Potable water. Water that is safe for drinking andcooking.

ppm/ppb. Parts per million/parts per billion, away of expressing tiny concentrations of pollut-ants in air, water, soil, human tissue, and foodand or other products.

Precipitation. Removal of solids from liquidwaste so that the hazardous solid portion can be


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disposed of safely; removal of particles from air-borne emissions.

Precipitators. Air pollution control devices thatcollect particles from an emission.

Precursor. In photochemical terminology, a com-pound such as a volatile organic compound(VOC) that precedes an oxidant. Precursorsreact in sunlight to form ozone or other photo-chemical oxidants.

Pretreatment. Processes used to reduce, elimi-nate, or alter the nature of wastewater pollut-

ants from nondomestic sources before they aredischarged into publicly owned treatmentworks.

Prevention. Measures taken to minimize the re-lease of wastes to the environment.

Primary wastewater treatment. First steps inwastewater treatment; screens and sedimentationtanks are used to remove most materials that floator will settle. Primary treatment results in theremoval of about 30% of carbonaceous biochemi-

cal oxygen demand (BOD) from domestic sew-age. See also Secondary wastewater treatment;tertiary wastewater treatment

Putrescible. Able to rot quickly enough to causeodors and attract flies.

Pyrolysis. Decomposition of a chemical by ex-treme heat.

Radiobiology. The study of the effects of radia-tion on living things.

Radiation. Any form of energy propagated asrays, waves, or streams of energetic particles. Theterm is frequently used in relation to the emis-sion of rays from the nucleus of an atom.

Raw sewage. Untreated wastewater.

Receiving waters. A river, lake, ocean, stream,or other watercourse into which wastewater ortreated effluent is discharged.

Recycle/reuse. The process of minimizing thegeneration of waste by recovering usable prod-

ucts that might otherwise become wastes. Ex-amples are the recycling of aluminum cans, wastepaper, and bottles.

Red tide. A proliferation of a marine planktonthat is toxic and often fatal to fish. This natural phe-nomenon may be stimulated by the addition of nu-trients. A tide can be called red, green, or brown,depending on the coloration of the plankton.

Refuse. See Solid waste

Residual. Amount of a pollutant remaining inthe environment after a natural or technologicalprocess has taken place, e.g., the sludge remain-ing after initial wastewater treatment, or particu-lates remaining in air after the air passes througha scrubbing or other pollutant removal process.

Resistance. For plants and animals, the abilityto withstand poor environmental conditions orattacks by chemicals or disease. The ability maybe inborn or developed.

Resource recovery.The process of obtainingmatter or energy from materials formerly dis-

carded.

Reverse osmosis. A water treatment process usedin small water systems by adding pressure toforce water through a semipermeable membrane,Reverse osmosis removes most drinking watercontaminants. It is also used in wastewater treat-ment. Large-scale reverse osmosis plants are nowbeing developed.

Risk assessment. The qualitative and quantita-tive evaluation performed in an effort to definethe risk posed to human health or the environ-ment by the presence or potential presence anduse of specific pollutants.

Rubbish. Solid waste, excluding wood waste andashes, from homes, institutions, and workplaces.

Runoff. That part of precipitation, snowmelt, orirrigation water that runs off the land into streams


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or other surface water; can carry pollutants fromthe air and land into the receiving waters.

Salinity. The degree of salt in water.

Salts. Minerals that water picks up as it passesthrough the air and over and under the groundand as it is used by households and industry.

Sand filters. Devices that remove some sus-pended solids from sewage. Air and bacteria de-compose additional wastes filtering through thesand so that cleaner water drains from the bed.

Sanitary landfill. See Landfills

Sanitary sewers. Underground pipes that carryoff only domestic or industrial waste, notstormwater.

Sanitation. Control of physical factors in the en-vironment that could harm human development,health, or survival.

Screening. Use of screens to remove coarse float-ing and suspended solids from sewage.

Scrubber. An air pollution device that uses aspray of water or reactant or a dry process to trappollutants in emissions.

Secondary wastewater treatment. The secondstep in most publicly owned water treatmentsystems, in which bacteria consume the organicparts of the waste. It is accomplished by bring-ing together waste, bacteria, and oxygen in trick-ling filters or in the activated sludge process. Thistreatment removes floating and settleable solids

and about 90% of the oxygen-demanding sub-stances and suspended solids. Disinfection is thefinal stage of secondary treatment. See also Pri-mary wastewater treatment; Tertiary wastewa-ter treatment

Sedimentation. Letting solids settle out of waste-water by gravity during wastewater treatment.

Sedimentation tanks. Holding areas for waste-water in which floating wastes are skimmed offand settled solids are removed for disposal.

Sediments. Soil, sand, and minerals washed fromland into water, usually after rain. Sediments pile

up in reservoirs, rivers, and harbors, destroyingfish-nesting areas and holes of water animals andclouding the water so that needed sunlight maynot reach aquatic plants. Careless farming, min-ing, and building activities will expose sedimentmaterials, allowing them to be washed off theland after rainfalls.

Septic tank. An underground storage tank forwastes from homes having no sewer line to atreatment plant. The wastes go directly from thehome to the tank, where the organic waste is de-

composed by bacteria and the sludge settles tothe bottom. The effluent flows out of the tank intothe ground through drains; the sludge is pumpedout periodically.

Settleable solids. Material heavy enough to sinkto the bottom of a wastewater treatment tank.

Settling tank. A holding area for wastewater inwhich heavier particles sink to the bottom forremoval and disposal.

Sewage. The waste and wastewater produced byresidential and commercial establishments anddischarged into sewers.

Sewage sludge. Sludge produced at a munici-pal treatment works.

Sewer. A channel or conduit that carries waste-water and stormwater runoff from the source toa treatment plant or receiving stream. Sanitarysewers carry household, industrial, and commer-cial wastes. Storm sewers carry runoff from rainor snow. Combined sewers are used for both pur-poses.

Silt. Fine particles of sand or rock that can bepicked up by the air or water and deposited assediment.

Siting. The process of choosing a location for afacility.

Skimming. Using a machine to remove oil orscum from the surface of the water.


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Slow sand filtration. Treatment process involv-ing passage of raw water through a bed of sand

at low velocity that results in the substantialremoval of chemical and biological contami-nants.

Sludge. A semisolid residue from any of a num-ber of air or water treatment processes. Sludgecan be a hazardous waste.

Slurry. A watery mixture of insoluble matterthat results from some pollution control tech-niques.

Smelter. A facility that melts or fuses ore, oftenwith an accompanying chemical change, to sepa-rate the metal. Emissions from smelters areknown to cause pollution.

Smog. Fog made heavier and darker by smoke.Air pollution associated with oxidants. See alsoPhotochemical oxidants

Smoke. Particles suspended in air after incom-plete combustion of materials.

Solid wastes. Nonliquid, nonsoluble materials,ranging from municipal garbage to industrialwastes, that contain complex, and sometimeshazardous, substances. Solid wastes includesewage sludge, agricultural refuse, demolitionwastes, and mining residues. Technically, solidwastes also refer to liquids and gases in con-tainers.

Solid waste disposal. The final placement ofrefuse that is not salvaged or recycled.

Solid waste management. Supervised handlingof waste materials from their source through re-covery processes to disposal.

Solidification and stabilization. Removal ofwastewater from a waste or changing it chemi-cally to make the waste less permeable and lesssusceptible to transport by water.

Solvent. Substance (usually liquid) capable ofdissolving or dispersing one or more other sub-stances.

Stabilization. Conversion of the active organicmatter in sludge into inert, harmless material.

Stable air. A mass of air that is not moving nor-mally, so that it holds rather than disperses pol-lutants.

Stack. A chimney or smokestack; a vertical pipethat discharges used air.

Stack effect. Used air, as in a chimney, that movesupward because it is warmer than the surround-ing atmosphere.

Sterilization.1. In pest control, the use of radiationand chemicals to damage body cells needed for re-production. 2. The destruction of all living organ-isms in water or on the surface of various materials.In contrast, disinfection is the destruction of mostliving organisms in water or on surfaces.

Strip mining. A process that uses machines toscrape soil or rock away from mineral depositsjust under the earths surface.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2). A heavy, pungent, color-

less, gaseous air pollutant formed primarily byprocesses involving fossil fuel combustion.

Sump. A pit or tank that catches liquid runofffor drainage or disposal.

Surface water. All water naturally open to theatmosphere (rivers, lakes, reservoirs, streams,impoundments, seas, estuaries, etc.); also refersto springs, wells, or other collectors that are di-rectly influenced by surface water.

Surfactant.A surface-active agent used in deter-gents to cause lathering.

Suspended solids. Small particles of solid pol-lutants that float on the surface of or are sus-pended in sewage or other liquids. They resistremoval by conventional means. See also Totalsuspended solids

Tailings. Residue of raw materials or waste sepa-rated out during the processing of crops or min-eral ores.


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Teratogen. Substance that causes malformationor serious deviation from normal development

of embryos and fetuses.

Tertiary wastewater treatment. Advanced clean-ing of wastewater that goes beyond the second-ary or biological stage to remove nutrients suchas phosphorus and nitrogen and most biochemi-cal oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended sol-ids. See also Primary wastewater treatment;Secondary wastewater treatment

Thermal pollution. Discharge of heated waterfrom industrial processes that can affect the life

processes of aquatic organisms.

Total suspended solids (TSS). A measure of thesuspended solids in wastewater, effluent, or wa-ter bodies. See also Suspended solids

Toxic pollutants. Materials contaminating theenvironment that cause death, disease, or birthdefects in organisms that ingest or absorb them.The quantities and length of exposure necessaryto cause these effects can vary widely.

Toxic substance.A chemical or mixture that maypresent an unreasonable risk of injury to health

or the environment.

Toxicity. The degree of danger posed by a sub-stance to animal or plant life. See also Acute tox-icity; Chronic toxicity

Trichloroethylene (TCE). A stable, low-boiling-point colorless liquid, toxic by inhalation. TCE isused as a solvent, as a metal degreasing agent,and in other industrial applications.

Trickling filter. A coarse biological treatmentsystem in which wastewater trickles over a bedof stones or other material covered with bacte-rial growth. The bacteria break down the organicwaste in the sewage and produce clean water.

Turbidity. 1. Haziness in air caused by the pres-ence of particles and pollutants. 2. A similarcloudy condition in water due to suspended siltor organic matter.

Underground storage tank. A tank locatedwholly or partially under ground that is designed

to hold gasoline or other petroleum products orchemical solutions.

Urban runoff. Stormwater from city streets andadjacent domestic or commercial properties thatmay carry pollutants of various kinds into sewersystems or receiving waters.

Vapor. The gaseous phase of substances that areliquid or solid at atmospheric temperature andpressure, e.g., steam.

Vapor capture system. Any combination of hoodsand ventilation system that captures or containsorganic vapors so that they may be directed toan abatement or recovery device.

Vector. 1. An organism, often an insect or rodent,that carries disease. 2. An object (e.g., plasmids,viruses, or other bacteria) used to transport genesinto a host cell. A gene is placed in the vector; thevector then infects the bacterium.

Vinyl chloride. A chemical compound, used in

producing some plastics, that is believed to becarcinogenic.

Volatile. Description of any substance that evapo-rates readily.

Volatile organic compound (VOC). Any or-ganic compound that participates in atmo-spheric photochemical reactions; generallyhave a boiling point of less than 145 Celsius.See Anthony J. Buonicore and Wayne T. Davis,eds., Air Pollut ion Engineering Manual (NewYork: Van Nostrand Reinhold,1992), Table 7,p. 45.

Wastes. 1. Unwanted materials left over from amanufacturing process. 2. Refuse from places ofhuman or animal habitation.

Wastewater treatment plant. A facility contain-ing a series of tanks, screens, filters, and otherprocesses by which pollutants are removed fromwater.


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Wastewater treatment stream. The continuousmovement of wastes from generator to treater

and disposer.

Wastewater.Spent or used water from individualhomes, communities, farms, or industries thatcontains dissolved or suspended matter.

Wastewater operations and maintenance. Ac-tions taken after construction to ensure that fa-cilities constructed to treat wastewater will beproperly operated, maintained, and managed toachieve efficiency levels and prescribed effluentlevels in an optimum manner.

Water pollution. The presence in water of enoughharmful or objectionable material to damagewater quality.

Water quality criteria. Specific levels of waterquality that, if reached, are expected to render a

body of water suitable for its designated use. Thecriteria are based on specific levels of pollutantsthat would make the water harmful if used fordrinking, swimming, farming, fish production,or industrial processes.

Watershed. The land area that drains into astream.

Wetlands. An area that is regularly saturated bysurface water or groundwater and is subse-quently characterized by a prevalence of vegeta-

tion adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.Examples include swamps, bogs, fens, marshes,and estuaries.

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