Terminology

Click Foredit Master subtitle style to Environmental pollution

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Waste water terminology

Activated Sludge The term "activated sludge" refers to a brownish flocculent culture of organisms developed in aeration tanks under controlled conditions. It is also Sludge floc produced in raw or settled waste water by the growth of zoological bacteria and other organisms in the presence of dissolved oxygen. Activated sludge is normally brown in color. Alkalinity The capacity of water to neutralize acids, a property imparted by the water's content of carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides, and occasionally borates, silicates, and phosphates. Alkaline fluids have a pH value over 7. Anaerobic A biological environment that is deficient in all forms of oxygen, especially molecular oxygen, nitrates and nitrites. The decomposition by microorganisms of waste organic matter in wastewater in the absence of dissolved oxygen is classed as anaerobic. Anoxic 5/23/12 A biological environment that is deficient in molecular oxygen, but may

Bacteria Bacteria are microscopic living organisms They are a group of universally distributed, rigid, essentially unicellular, microscopic organisms lacking chlorophyll. They are characterized as spheroids, rod-like, or curved entities, but occasionally appearing as sheets, chains, or branched filaments. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) The BOD test is used to measure the strength of wastewater. The BOD of wastewater determines the milligrams per liter of oxygen required during stabilization of decomposable organic matter by aerobic bacteria action. Also, the total milligrams of oxygen required over a five-day test period to biologically assimilate the organic contaminants in one liter of wastewater maintained at 20 degrees Centigrade. Bulking Sludge A phenomenon that occurs in activated sludge plants whereby the sludge occupies excessive volumes and will not concentrate readily. This condition refers to a decrease in the ability of the sludge to settle and consequent loss over the settling tank weir. Bulking in activated sludge aeration tanks is caused mainly by excess suspended solids (SS) content. Sludge bulking in the final settling tank of an activated sludge plant may be caused by improper balance of the BOD load, SS concentration in the mixed liquor, or the amount of air used in aeration. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) The milligrams of oxygen required to chemically oxidize the organic contaminants in one liter of wastewater.

5/23/12 Composite Sample To have significant meaning, samples for laboratory tests on wastewater should be

coagulation

in water treatment, the use of chemicals to make suspended solids gather or group together into small flocs.

Denitrification A biological process by which nitrate is converted to nitrogen gas.

Digestion The biological decomposition of organic matter in sludge resulting in partial gasification, liquefaction, and mineralization of putrescible and offensive solids. Disenfection The killing of pathogenic organisms is called disinfection. Dissolved Oxygen (DO) The oxygen dissolved in water, wastewater, or other liquid. DO is measured in milligrams per liter. If the DO of a sample of water is 2 mg/L, it means that there are 2lbs of oxygen in 1 mil lb of water. Dissolved Solids Solids that cannot be removed by filtering are dissolved solids. Extended Aeration A modification of the activated sludge process which provides for aerobic sludge digestion within the aeration system. Floc Clumps of bacteria and particles that have come together to form clusters, or small gelatinous masses. The floc mass in an activated sludge aeration tank generally 5/23/12 consists of microorganisms.

Mixed Liquor (ML) The mixture of activated sludge, wastewater, and oxygen, wherein biological assimilation occurs. Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) The milligrams of suspended solids per liter of mixed liquor that are combustible at 550 degrees Centigrade. An estimate of the quantity of MLSS to be wasted from the aeration tank of an extended aeration plant may be determined by the rate of settling and centrifuge tests on the sludge solids. Nitrification The conversion of nitrogen matter into nitrates by bacteria. Nitrogen Nitrogen is present in wastewater in many forms: total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, organic nitrogen. Nitrogen Cycle The cycle of life, death, and decay involving organic nitrogenous matter is known as the nitrogen cycle. In the nitrogen cycle ammonia is produced from proteins. Orthophosphate A simple compound of phosphorous and oxygen that is soluble in water. Oxic A biological environment which is aerobic Polyphosphate A large compound formed of several orthophosphate molecules connected by phosphate-storing microorganisms. Raw Wastewater

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Return Sludge Settled activated sludge returned to mix with incoming raw or primary settled wastewater. When the return sludge rate in the activated sludge process is too low, there will be insufficient organisms to meet the waste load entering the aerator. Return Activated Sludge Activated return sludge is normally returned continuously to the aeration tank. Recycling of activated sludge back to the aeration tank provides bacteria for incoming wastewater. Its should be brown in color with no obnoxious odor and is often also returned in small portions to the primary settling tanks to aid sedimentation. Settled activated sludge is generally thinner than raw sludge. Some activated sludge will be wasted to prevent excessive solids build up. Sedimentation

a large scale water treatment process where heavy solids settle out to the bottom of the treatment tank after flocculation.

Sludge Age In the activated sludge process, a measure of the length of time a particle of suspended solids has been undergoing aeration, expressed in day. It is usually computed by dividing the weight of the suspended solids in the aeration tank by the weight of excess activated sludge discharged from the system per day. Sludge Digestion The purpose of sludge digestion is to separate the liquid from the solids to facilitate drying. The proper pH range for digested sludge is 6.8 - 7.2. Sludge Index 5/23/12 Properly called sludge volume index (SVI). It is the volume in millimeters occupied by

Splitter Box A division box that splits the incoming flow into two or more streams. A device for splitting and directing discharge from the head box to two separate points of application. TDS - total dissolved solids

the sum or all inorganic and organic particulate material. TDS is an indicator test used for wastewater analysis and is also a measure of the mineral content of bottled water and groundwater. There is a relationship between TDS and conductivity. In general, for the San Antonio River basin, TDS/.6 approximates conductivity. Or, conductivity * .6 approximates TDS. People monitoring water quality can measure electrical conductivity quickly in the field and estimate TDS without doing any lab tests at all Wastewater Domestic wastewater is 99.9% water and 0.1% solids. Fresh wastewater is usually slightly alkaline. If the pH of the raw wastewater is 8.0, it indicates that the sample is alkaline. If wastewater has a pH value of 6.5, it means that it is acid. Wastewater is said to be septic when it is undergoing decomposition.

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Air pollution terminology

Acid Deposition a term for the conversion of sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions into acidic compounds which precipitate in rain, snow, fog, or dry particles Acute occurring over a short period of time; used to describe brief exposures and effects which appear promptly after exposure Adverse Health Effects health effects from exposure to air contaminants that may range from relatively mild temporary conditions, such as minor eye or throat irritation, shortness of breath, or headaches, to permanent and serious conditions such as birth defects, cancer, or damage to lungs, nerves, liver, heart, or other organs Aerosol particle of solid or liquid matter that can remain suspended in the air because of its small size (generally under one micron) Afterburner an air pollution abatement device that removes undesirable organic gases through incineration Air socalled "pure" air is a mixture of gases containing about 78 percent nitrogen; 21 percent oxygen; less than 1 percent of carbon dioxide, argon, and other inert gases; and varying amounts of water vapor Air Basins areas defined by geographical or administrative boundaries; used for air pollution control programs Air Monitoring sampling for and measuring of pollutants present in the

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Air Quality Index (AQI) colorcoded tool that shows air pollution levels. Air Quality Management District (AQMD) local agency charged with controlling air pollution and attaining air quality standards Air Quality Plan (AQP) a plan developed to attain and maintain an air quality standard Air Quality Standard (AQS) the prescribed level of a pollutant in the outside air that should not be exceeded during a specific time period to protect public health. Established by both federal and state governments Air shed a term denoting a geographical area of which, because of topography, meteorology, and climate, shares the same air (see Air Basins) Ambient Air outside air; any portion of the atmosphere not confined by walls and a roof Aromatic a hydrocarbon that consists of one or more benzenoid rings (i. e., benzene) Asthma a medical condition characterized by abnormal restriction of breathing, especially in response to allergens or air contaminants Best Available Control Technology (BACT) an emission limitation based on using the most uptodate methods, systems, techniques, and production processes available to achieve the greatest feasible emission reductions. These are the most stringent requirements for new or modified sources and are determined on a case bycase basis as part of New Source Review Best Available Retrofit Control Technology (BARCT) an emission limitation 5/23/12 based on the maximum degree of reduction achievable for existing sources taking

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) a colorless, odorless, nonpoisonous gas that results from fossil fuel combustion and is a normal constituent of ambient air Carbon Monoxide a colorless, odorless, toxic gas produced by the incomplete combustion of carboncontaining substances. One of the major air pollutants, it is emitted in large quantities by exhaust from gasolinepowered vehicles Carcinogen any substance that can cause or contribute to the production of cancer Catalytic Converter an air pollution abatement device used primarily on motor vehicles and other sources. It removes organic contaminants by oxidizing them into carbon dioxide and water through chemical reaction. May convert nitrogen dioxide to nitrogen and oxygen or promote other similar reactions Chlorofluorocarbons 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 the ozone layer Clean Air Act (CAA) long standing federal legislation that is the legal basis for the national clean air programs, last amended in 1990 Coefficient of Haze (COH) a measurement of the quantity of dust and smoke in the atmosphere in a theoretical 1000 linear feet of air. A COH of less than 1 is considered clean air and more than 3 is considered dirty air Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) see Natural Gas Continuous Emission Monitor (CEM) a type of air emission monitoring device 5/23/12 installed to operate continuously inside of a smoke stack or other emission source

Dew Point the temperature at which droplets of water condense from air (dependent on the prevailing humidity) Diesel Engine a type of internalcombustion engine that uses lowvolatility petroleum fuel and fuel injectors and initiates combustion using compression ignition (as opposed to spark ignition, which is used with gasoline engines.) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Law that appropriates funds to federal and state loan programs to either rebuilddieselpowered vehicle enginesto more stringent emission standards or install emission reduction systems, notify affected parties, and share the technological information with countries that have poor air quality standards. Dualfuel Engines that operate on a combination of natural gas and diesel fuel Electrostatic Precipitator an air pollution abatement device that removes particulate matter from a gas stream by imparting an electrical charge to the particles for mechanical collection on an electrode Emission Factor the relationship between the amount of pollution produced and the amount of raw material processed or burned. For example, the emission factor for oxides of nitrogen from fuel oil combustion in an industrial boiler would be the number of pounds of oxides of nitrogen emitted per 1000 gallons of fuel oil burned. By using the emission factor of a pollutant and specific data regarding quantities of material used by a given source, it is possible to compute emissions for the source. This approach is used in preparing an emissions inventory Emission inventory a list of air pollutants emitted into a community's atmosphere, in amounts (commonly tons) per day or year, by type of source Emission Standard the maximum amount of pollution that is permitted to be 5/23/12 discharged from a polluting source for example, the number of pounds of dust that

Ethanol ethyl alcohol, a volatile alcohol containing two carbons (CH3CH2OH). For fuel use, it would be produced by fermentation of corn or other plant products away Exceedance a measured level of an air pollutant higher than the national or state ambient air quality standard Flexible Fuel Vehicle vehicles that can use either alcohol fuels (methanol or ethanol) or a combination of alcohol fuel and unleaded gasoline Fluorocarbon an organic compound that contains fluorine. Some of these compounds may affect health but they are nonreactive and therefore not smog forming Fossil Fuels coal, oil, and natural gas; socalled because they are the remains of ancient plant and animal life Fume solid particles under 1 micron in diameter, formed as vapors condense or as chemical reactions take place Furnace a combustion chamber; an enclosed structure in which fuel is burned to heat air or material Greenhouse Effect the warming of the earth's atmosphere caused by a buildup of carbon dioxide and other trace gases. This buildup allows light from the sun's rays to heat the earth but prevents a counterbalancing loss of heat Ground Level Monitor (GLM) a type of air pollution monitoring device located around major industrial facilities to measure ambient levels of certain pollutants GroundLevel Ozone (GLO) see Ozone

5/23/12 Halogen a family of chemical elements that includes fluorine, chlorine, bromine,

Incineration the burning of household or industrial waste in a combustion chamber Inert Gas a gas such as helium, neon, or argon that does not react with other substances under ordinary conditions Inorganic Gaseous Pollutant a gaseous pollutant that is not an organic compound. Examples are: sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and nitrogen oxides
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Nitrogen Oxides (NOx, frequently pronounced nox) gases formed in great part from atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen when combustion takes place under conditions of high temperature and high pressure; considered a major air pollutant and precursor of ozone Nonattainment Area defined geographic area that does not meet one or more of the federal air quality standards for the criteria pollutants
5/23/12 Open Burning the uncontrolled

Photochemical Smog produced when hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen combine in the presence of sunlight to form ozone Plume a visible or measurable discharge of a contaminant from a given point of origin that Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) a system developed by the federal government for reporting air pollution concentrations to the public as numerical values between 0 and 5/23/12 500

Smog a term used to describe many air pollution problems. Smog is a contraction of smoke and fog; it describes the irritating stagnant haze resulting from the sun's effect on pollutants in the air. Also known as ground level ozone. Soot very fine carbon particles that appear black when visible State Implementation Plan (SIP) EPAapproved state plans for attaining and maintaining national ambient air quality standards Stationary Source a fixed, nonmobile producer of pollution, usually at industrial or commercial facilities Storage Tank any stationary container, reservoir, or tank used for the storage of liquids. District regulations usually only apply to the storage of organic liquids Stratosphere the portion of the atmosphere that is 10 to 25 miles above the earth's surface Sulfur Oxides (SOx) pungent, colorless gases formed primarily by the combustion of sulfurcontaining fossil fuels, especially coal and oil. Considered major air pollutants, sulfur oxides may impact human health and damage vegetation Topography the configuration of a surface, especially the earth's surface, including its relief and the position of its natural and manmade features

5/23/12 Total Organic Gases (TOG) gaseous organic compounds, including

Toxic Best Available Control Technology(TBACT) similar to BACT standards except applies to sources of toxic emissions. In many cases, it is the same as BACT. The standards are based on using the most uptodate methods, systems, techniques, and production processes available to achieve the greatest feasible emission reductions. These are the most stringent requirements for new or modified sources and are determined on a casebycase basis Transportation Control Measures (TCMs) strategies to reduce vehicle trips, vehicle use, vehicle miles traveled, vehicle idling or traffic congestion for the purpose of reducing motor vehicle emissions Troposphere the layer of the atmosphere nearest the earth's surface. The troposphere extends outward about 5 miles at the poles and 10 miles at the equator Variance permission granted for a limited time under stated conditions for a person or company to operate outside the limits prescribed in a regulation Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) an organic compound that evaporates readily at atmospheric temperatures. A major precursor of ozone Woodburning Pollution air pollution caused by emissions of particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and odorous and toxic substances from woodburning stoves and fireplaces

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Soil(sand) pollution terminology

Absorption: Uptake of matter or energy by a substance Acid soil: Soil with a pH value less than 7.0. Acidification: Process whereby soil becomes acid (pH < 7) because acid parent material is present or in regions with high rainfall, where soil leaching occurs. Acidification can be 5/23/12 accelerated by human activities (use

Arable land: Agricultural land that is cultivated by ploughing, usually to 20 or 30 cm depth. More than 30 cm represents deep ploughing. Black Earth: Term synonymous with Chernozem used (e.g. in Australia) to describe self-mulching black clays. Bog: Wetland that has no significant inflows or outflows, supports acidophilic mosses, particularly Sphagnum and in which peat is accumulating. Similar to: fen, marsh,

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Decalcification: Removal of calcium carbonate or calcium ions from the soil by leaching. Diagnostic horizon: see horizon Electrical conductivity (EC): Conduction of electricity through water or a solution of soil commonly used to estimate the soluble salt content in solution, e.g. soil solution. Erosion: The wearing away of the land surface by water, wind, ice, gravity or other natural or anthropogenic agents that abrade, detach and remove soil particles or rock material from one point on the earth's surface, for deposition elsewhere, including gravitational creep and so-called tillage erosion. Feldspar: Group of hard crystalline minerals that consist of aluminum silicates of sodium or calcium or barium. Fen: Flat and swampy land, usually low in altitude and similar to a bog or marsh. Fertilization: Application of mainly mineral compounds, in order to increase soil fertility. In some cases, (e.g. liming) the purpose of fertilization is also to improve specific soil properties (pH, stability of soil structure). Field capacity: Field capacity has been defined as the soil moisture state when, 48 hours after saturation or heavy rain, all downward movement of water has ceased. It is the water content retained at low suctions (5-33kPa) 5/23/12 depending on soil type, and is the upper limit of plant available water.

Gley soil: Soil formed under naturally wet or waterlogged conditions as evidenced by grey colours stemming from the reduction, under anaerobic conditions, of ferric iron to the ferrous state. Ground water: That portion of the water below the surface of the ground at a pressure equal to, or greater than, that of the atmosphere. See also water table.
5/23/12 Gully: Channel resulting from erosion

Marsh: A transition zone between water and land usually covered by grass. Mass movement: Dislodgement and downslope transport of soil and rock material as a unit under direct gravitational stress; includes slow displacements, such as creep and solifluction, and rapid movements such as landslides, rock slides, earthflows, debris flows and avalanches; water, ice and to a lesser extent air usually play an 5/23/12

Permanent grassland: Natural (mainly steppe areas) or agricultural soils with grass cover not normally ploughed. Ploughing (tillage): mechanical cultivation of agricultural soils by the plough to different depths (20 - 30cm) deep, creating arable land. Pocosin: A bog formed in shallow depressions with poor drainage, supporting predominantly evergreen shrubs or small trees. Primary mineral: A mineral that has not been altered chemically since crystallization and deposition from molten lava. See also secondary mineral. Protection of soil: Conscious process necessary for soil and soil properties preservation realised at different levels (personal, local, national, continental) and using information obtained by soil research. Sustainability is the result of this process. Regolith: The unconsolidated mantle of weathered rock and soil material on the Earth's surface, sometimes considered to be loose earth materials above solid rock. Root exudates: Substances released from plant root system in drops or small quantities of carbohydrates, organic acids, vitamins and many other substances essential for life of soil micro-organisms. Saline soil: A non-sodic soil (see sodic soil) containing sufficient soluble salt to adversely affect the growth of most crop plants. The lower limit of electrical conductivity in the saturation extract of such soils is conventionally set at 4 dS m1(at 25C), though sensitive plants are affected at about half this salinity and highly tolerant ones at about twice this salinity. Saline-sodic soil: Salt-affected soils with a high exchangeable sodium percentage 5/23/12 (ESP) greater than 15%, pH usually less than 8.5; in general these soils are not

Silt: Soil particles between 0.002 mm and 0.05 mm (in some countries 0.06 mm is the upper size limit), with high or medium-high specific area influencing stability of soil structure; also used as a texture class name for medium and medium-fine soil materials. Sodic soil: Soil with excess of sodium, pH is higher than 7, usually in the range 8 - 10, exchangeable sodium percentage, ESP> 15 and very poor soil structure. These soils need special management and are not used for agriculture; nonsodic soils are without excess of sodium. Soil biology: A scientific discipline dealing with living components of soils, which are represented mainly by bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods and earthworms as well as by mammals. Soil chemistry: A scientific discipline dealing with chemical properties of soils and studies on the influence of fertilizers, pesticides and the other chemical substances applied on or into the soil on soil behaviour and fertility. Soil classification: Also termed soil taxonomy, is the scientific discipline dealing with grouping of soils into soil morphological units or soil types, according to similar or comparable soil forming properties. Many countries in the world have national soil classification systems but those of FAO, WRB and USDA are used internationally. For transnational comparisons, an international soil classification system, into which the majority of national systems can be translated, is needed. In future, this will be the WRB. Soil colour: soil colour is one of the indicators of soil status and depends on many factors, mainly on the amount and state of organic matter and iron oxide, as well as amount of air and water in soil pores; In general, dark soils have high organic matter content, grey soils are waterlogged or anaerobic, brown5/23/12 soils are

Soil cracks: Openings in horizontal (mm or several cm) and vertical (cm or several m) orientation, mainly affecting soil hydraulic properties, arising from swelling and Shrinking processes. Heavy clay soils are more susceptible to cracks formation than loamy soils whereas in sandy soils cracks do not form or they are very small and unstable. Soil cultivation destroys crack system, mainly by tillage. Soil degradation: Negative process often accelerated by human activities (improper soil use and cultivation practices, building areas) that leads to deterioration of soil properties and functions or destruction of soil as a whole, e.g. compaction, erosion, salinisation. Soil depth: depth of soil profile from the top to parent material or bedrock or to the layer of obstacles for roots. It differs significantly for different soil types. It is one of basic criterions used in soil classification. Soils can be very shallow (less than 25 cm), shallow (25 cm-50 cm), moderately deep (50 cm-90 cm), deep (90cm-150 cm) and very deep (more than 150 cm). Soil fertility: A measure of the ability of soil to provide plants with sufficient amount of nutrients and water, and a suitable medium for root development to assure proper plant growth and maturity. Soil geography: Scientific discipline dealing with distribution of soil types in landscapes, describing this distribution according to geographical rules. Soil micro-organisms: Represented by protozoa, viruses, bacteria, fungi and algae. The most prevalent are bacteria and fungi, and depending on conditions (water and nutrients content, temperature, etc.) they can be in an active or non-active state. According to nutrient (and oxygen) demand, micro-organisms are divided to autotropic and heterotrophic, (aerobic and anaerobic) groups. Micro-organisms are a good indicator of soil status and quality.

5/23/12 Soil monitoring: Repeated observation and measurement of selected soil properties

Soil porosity: Volume of water and air that can be held in a soil; ratio of the volume of voids to the total volume of the soil. Soil profile: Vertical section of soil horizons from upper layer to the parent material, showing the arrangement (configuration) of soil horizons typical for single soil types and used as a basis for soil classification. Soil sorption: Selective process, which occurs on soil particles smaller than 0.002mm (<2m); these small particles have colloidal properties, are able to hold and exchange ions, water or gases. Soil texture: Numerical proportion (% by wt.) of sand, silt and clay in a soil. Sand, silt and clay content are estimated in the field, and/or quantitatively in the laboratory, and then placed within the texture triangle to determine soil texture class. Texture can be coarse (sand particles predominate), medium (silt particles predominate), or fine (clay particles predominate). Stoniness: It is the relative proportion (vol %) of coarse particles (larger than 2 mm diameter) in the soil or on soil surface; 15% stones is a high value and can hinder cultivation and reduce water holding capacity. Surface soil: the layer of soil occurring on the surface, synonym topsoil. Swamp: Seasonally flooded low land. Similar to marsh, but with more woody plants and to bog but with better drainage. Swamp: a wetland that features permanent inundation of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water, generally with a substantial number of hummocks, or dryland protrusions. Swamps are usually regarded as including a large amount of woody vegetation Swelling and shrinking: Two opposite processes of soil volume change. Swelling, 5/23/12 increase of soil volume, shrinking, decrease of soil volume. These processes are

References

http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~psguest/hydro/homework/gloss_h2o.htm [Texas Environmental Center Home Page] http://www.biotechindustriesinc.com http://www.muddyriv.com/glossary.html

http://www.marc.org/environment/airq/glossary.htm http://www.arb.ca.gov/html/gloss.htm

http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ESDB_Archive/glossary/Soil_Terms.html http://www.shiftsoil.co.uk/glossary.html

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