Terms : Hide Images
| 523070538 | air pollution | the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or microorganisms into the atmosphere at concentrations high enough to harm plants, animals, and materials such as buildings, or to alter ecosystems | |
| 523070539 | particulate matter/ particulates/ particles | solid or liquid particles suspended in air comes from combustion of wood, animal manure, and other biofuels, coal, oil, and gasoline | |
| 523070540 | haze | reduced visibility caused primarily when particulate matter from air pollution scatters light | |
| 523070541 | photochemical oxidants | class of air pollutants formed as a result of sunlight acting on compounds such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide | |
| 523070542 | smog | the resulting mixture of oxidants and particulate matter | |
| 523070543 | photochemical smog | smog dominated by oxidants such as ozone sometimes called Los Angeles-type smog or brown smog | |
| 523070544 | sulfurous smog | smog dominated by sulfur dioxide and sulfate compounds sometimes called London-type smog or gray smog | |
| 523070545 | volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | organic compounds that become vapors at typical atmospheric temperatures | |
| 523070546 | primary pollutants | polluting compounds that come directly out of the smokestack, exhaust pipe, or natural emission source include: CO, CO2, SO2, NOx, & most suspended particulate matter | |
| 523070547 | secondary pollutants | primary pollutants that have undergone transformation in the presence of sunlight, water, oxygen, or other compounds include: ozone, sulfate (SO4 2-), nitrate (NO3-), etc. | |
| 523070548 | thermal inversion | a situation where a relatively warm later of air at mid-altitude covers a layer of cold, dense air below | |
| 523070549 | inversion layer | the warm layer that traps emissions that then accumulate beneath it | |
| 523070550 | chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) | a family of organic compounds whose properties make them ideal for use in refrigeration and air-conditioning the major source of chlorine in the stratosphere | |
| 523070551 | asbestos | a long, thin, fibrous silicate mineral with insulating properties | |
| 523070552 | sick building syndrome | a buildup of toxic compounds and pollutants in an airtight space; seen in newer buildings with good insulation and tight seals against air leaks | |
| 523070553 | Water Pollution | pollution of the water in rivers and lakes | |
| 523070554 | Point Sources | point, from specific location such as a pipe. Non-point, from over an area such as runoff | |
| 523070555 | Nonpoint Sources | broad, and diffuse areas, rather than points, from which pollutants enter bodies of surface water or air | |
| 523070556 | Wastewater | water mixed with waste matter | |
| 523070557 | Oxygen-demanding Waste | organic matter that enters a body of water and feeds microbes that are decomposers | |
| 523070558 | Biochemical Oxygen Demand | Amount of oxygen required by aquatic bacteria to decompose a given load of organic waste;a measure of water pollution | |
| 523070559 | Eutrophication | process by which a body of water becomes too rich in dissolved nutrients, leading to plant growth that depletes oxygen | |
| 523070560 | Cultural Eutrophication | an increase in biological productivity and ecosystem succession caused by human activities | |
| 523070561 | Dead Zones | a area of water where there is no oxygen left | |
| 523070562 | Indicator Species | species that serve as early warnings that a community or ecosystem is being degraded | |
| 523070563 | Fecal Coliform Bacteria | bacteria found in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals | |
| 523070564 | Septic System | small waste water system used by a single home or business | |
| 523070565 | Septic Tank | large tank where solid matter or sewage is disintegrated by bacteria | |
| 523070566 | Sludge | gooey mixture of toxic chemicals, infectious agents, and settled solids removed from wastewater at a sewage treatment plant | |
| 523070567 | Septage | the middle layer of fairly clear water, contains large quantities of bacteria and may also contain pathogenic organisms and inorganic nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous | |
| 523070568 | Leach Field | the ground area around a septic tank through which wastewater filters after leaving the tank | |
| 523070569 | Manure Lagoons | human-made ponds lined with rubber built to handle large quantities of manure produced by livestock | |
| 523070570 | Acid Deposition | the return to earth as rain or snow of the sulfate or nitrate salts of acids produced by commercial and industrial activities | |
| 523070571 | PCBs | synthetic chemicals containing chlorine that are used in the manufacture of plastics and other industrial products, become stored in the tissue of animals, and also persist in the environment | |
| 523070572 | PBDEs | synthetic compunds that provide fire retardant properties and are used in a diverse array of consumer products including computers tvs plastics and furniture | |
| 523070573 | Thermal Pollution | a temperature increase in a body of water that is caused by human activity and that has a harmful effect on water quality and on the ability of that body of water to support life | |
| 523070574 | Thermal Shock | sudden increase or decrease in temperature that puts great stress on a fired clay body, causing it to crack | |
| 523070575 | Maximum Containment Levels | the greatest amount of a contaminent that can be present in drinking water without causing risk to human health |
