1,1,1-Trichloroethane
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
Acetone
Acids
- A corrosive solution with a pH less than 7. (TOE)
Acrylamide
Alachlor
- A herbicide, marketed under the trade name Lasso, used mainly to control weeds in corn and soybean fields. [Terms of Env]
Antimony
Arsenic
Asbestos
- A mineral fiber that can pollute air or water and cause cancer or asbestosis when inhaled. EPA has banned or severely restricted its use in manufacturing and construction. [Terms of Env]
Atrazine
BTEX
Barium
Benzene
Benzo(a)pyrene
Beryllium
- An metal hazardous to human health when inhaled as an airborne pollutant. It is discharged by machine shops, ceramic and propellant plants, and foundries. [Terms of Env]
Bromate
Cadmium
- A heavy metal that accumulates in the environment. [Terms of Env]
Carbofuran
Carbon Monoxide
- A colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete fossil fuel combustion. [Terms of Env]
Carbon Tetrachloride
- Compound consisting of one carbon atom and four chlorine atoms, once widely used as a industrial raw material, as a solvent, and in the production of CFCs. Use as a solvent ended when it was discovered to be carcinogenic. [Terms of Env]
Chloramines
- Compounds formed by the reaction of hypochlorous acid (or aqueous chlorine) with ammonia. [Drink Water Tech & Legal 2009]
Chlordane
Chlorine
Chlorine Dioxide
Chlorite
Chlorobenzene
Chlorofluorocarbons
- A family of inert, nontoxic, and easily liquefied chemicals used in refrigeration, air conditioning, packaging, insulation, or as solvents and aerosol propellants. Because CFCs are not destroyed in the lower atmosphere they drift into the upper atmosphere where their chlorine components destroy ozone. [Terms of Env]
Chloroform
Chromium
Copper
Corrosives
Cyanide
Dichlorobenzene
Dichloroethylenes
Dioxins
- Any of a family of compounds known chemically as dibenzo-p-dioxins. Concern about them arises from their potential toxicity as contaminants in commercial products. Tests on laboratory animals indicate that it is one of the more toxic anthropogenic (man-made) compounds. [Terms of Env]
Endrin
- A pesticide toxic to freshwater and marine aquatic life that produces adverse health effects in domestic water supplies. [Terms of Env]
Epichlorohydrin
Ethers
Ethylbenzene
Ethylene Dibromide
- A chemical used as an agricultural fumigant and in certain industrial processes. Extremely toxic and found to be a carcinogen in laboratory animals, EDB has been banned for most agricultural uses in the United States. [Terms of Env]
Ethylene Dichloride
Extremely Hazardous Substances
- Any of 406 chemicals identified by EPA as toxic, and listed under SARA Title III. The list is subject to periodic revision. [Terms of Env]
Fertilizer
- Substance that adds inorganic or organic plant nutrients to soil and improves its ability to grow crops, trees, or other vegetation. [Greenhouse Emissions Glossary]
Fluoride
Furan
Glyphosate
Greenhouse Gases
Haloacetic Acids
Halon
- Bromine-containing compounds with long atmospheric lifetimes whose breakdown in the stratosphere causes depletion of ozone. Halons are used in firefighting. [Terms of Env]
Heavy Metals
- Metallic elements with high atomic weights; (e.g., mercury, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, and lead); can damage living things at low concentrations and tend to accumulate in the food chain. [RCRA Glossary]
Heptachlor
- An insecticide that was banned on some food products in 1975 and in all of them 1978. It was allowed for use in seed treatment until 1983. More recently it was found in milk and other dairy products in Arkansas and Missouri where dairy cattle were illegally fed treated seed. [Terms of Env]
Hexachlorobenzene
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
Hydrocarbons
- Chemical compounds that consist entirely of carbon and hydrogen. [Terms of Env]
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
- Compounds containing hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, and carbon atoms. Although ozone depleting substances, they are less potent at destroying stratospheric ozone than chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). They have been introduced as temporary replacements for CFCs and are also greenhouse gases. See "ozone depleting substance". [Glossary Climate Change Terms]
Inorganic Chemicals
- Chemical substances of mineral origin, not of basically carbon structure. [Terms of Env]
Ketones
Lead
- A heavy metal that is hazardous to health if breathed or swallowed. Its use in gasoline, paints, and plumbing compounds has been sharply restricted or eliminated by federal laws and regulations. [Terms of Env]
Lindane
- A pesticide that causes adverse health effects in domestic water supplies and is toxic to freshwater fish and aquatic life. [Terms of Env]
Mercury
- Heavy metal that can accumulate in the environment and is highly toxic if breathed or swallowed. [Terms of Env]
Methane
- A colorless, nonpoisonous, flammable gas created by anaerobic decomposition of organic compounds. A major component of natural gas used in the home. [Terms of Env]
Methoxychlor
- Pesticide that causes adverse health effects in doemstic water supplies and is toxic to freshwater and marine aquatic life. [Terms of Env]
Methyl Bromide
- An effective pesticide; used to fumigate soil and many agricultural products. Because it contains bromine, it depletes stratospheric ozone when released to the atmosphere. [Greenhouse Emissions Glossry]
Methyl Chloride
Methyl-T-Butyl-Ether
Nitrogen Oxides
- The result of photochemical reactions of nitric oxide in ambient air; major component of photochemical smog. Product of combustion from transportation and stationary sources and a major contributor to the formation of ozone in the troposphere and to acid deposition. [Terms of Env]
Organic Chemicals
Synthetic Organic Chemicals
- Man-made (anthropogenic) organic chemicals. Some SOCs are volatile; others tend to stay dissolved in water instead of evaporating. [Terms of Env]
Ozone
- Found in two layers of the atmosphere, the stratosphere and the troposphere. In the stratosphere (the atmospheric layer 7 to 10 miles or more above the earth's surface) ozone is a natural form of oxygen that provides a protective layer shielding the earth from ultraviolet radiation.In the troposphere (the layer extending up 7 to 10 miles from the earth's surface), ozone is a chemical oxidant and major component of photochemical smog. It can seriously impair the respiratory system and is one of the most widespread of all the criteria pollutants for which the Clean Air Act required EPA to set standards. Ozone in the troposphere is produced through complex chemical reactions of nitrogen oxides, which are among the primary pollutants emitted by combustion sources; hydrocarbons, released into the atmosphere through the combustion, handling and processing of petroleum products; and sunlight. [Terms of Env]
Ground Level Ozone
Pentachlorophenol
Perchloroethylene
Perfluorocompounds
Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Pollutants
Phthalates
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
- A group of toxic, persistent chemicals used in electrical transformers and capacitors for insulating purposes, and in gas pipeline systems as a lubricant. The sale and new use of PCBs were banned by law in 1979. [Environmental Issues Glossary]
Polymers
- A natural or synthetic chemical structure where two or more like molecules are joined to form a more complex molecular structure (e.g., polyethylene in plastic). [Terms of Env]
Selenium
Simazine
Solvents
- Chemical products that are used to dissolve other compounds; typically found in cleaners and used in petrochemical processes. [Superfund]
Chlorinated Solvents
- An organic solvent containing chlorine atoms(e.g., methylene chloride and 1,1,1- trichloromethane). Uses of chlorinated solvents are include aerosol spray containers, in highway paint, and dry cleaning fluids. [Terms of Env]
Styrene
Sulfur
Sulfur Hexafluoride
- A colorless gas soluble in alcohol and ether, slightly soluble in water. A very powerful greenhouse gas used primarily in electrical transmission and distribution systems and as a dielectric in electronics. [Greenhouse Emissions Glossry]
Sulfur Oxides
Thallium
Toluene
Toxaphene
- Chemical that causes adverse health effects in domestic water supplies and is toxic to fresh water and marine aquatic life. [Terms of Env]
Trichloroethylene
- A stable, low boiling-point colorless liquid, toxic if inhaled. Used as a solvent or metal degreasing agent, and in other industrial applications. [Terms of Env]
Trihalomethanes
Vermiculite
Vinyl Chloride
- A chemical compound, used in producing some plastics, that is believed to be oncogenic. [Terms of Env]
Volatile Organic Compounds
- Any organic compound that participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions except those designated by EPA as having negligible photochemical reactivity. [Terms of Env]
Xylenes
Batteries
Light Bulbs
Paper
Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care Products
Plastics
- Non-metallic chemoreactive compounds molded into rigid or pliable construction materials, fabrics, etc. [Terms of Env]
Shopping Bags
Alternative Fuels
- Substitutes for traditional liquid, oil-derived motor vehicle fuels like gasoline and diesel. Includes mixtures of alcohol-based fuels with gasoline, methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, and others. [Terms of Env]
Fossil Fuels
Natural Gas
- Underground deposits of gases consisting of 50 to 90 percent methane and small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such as propane and butane. [Greenhouse Emissions Glossary]
Oil
Allergens
- A substance that causes an allergic reaction in individuals sensitive to it. [Terms of Env]
Carcinogens
- Any substance that can cause or aggravate cancer. [Terms of Env]
Endocrine Disruptors
- Synthetic chemicals that disrupt normal endocrine system functions in humans and wildlife by blocking or mimicking hormones. Known endocrine disruptors include PCBs, dioxins, DDT and some other pesticides. [Chesapeake Bay Glossary]
Pathogens
- Disease-causing organisms, such as some bacteria, viruses, or protozoa. [Safe Drinking Water Glossary]
Teratogens
Antimicrobial Pesticides
Disinfectants & Sanitizers
Biopesticides
Fungicides
- Pesticides which are used to control, deter, or destroy fungi. [Terms of Env]
Genetically Modified Organisms
Herbicides
- A chemical pesticide designed to control or destroy plants, weeds, or grasses. [Terms of Env]
Inert Ingredients
- Substances that are not "active," such as water, petroleum distillates, talc, corn meal, or soaps. When discussing pesticides, inert ingredients do not attack a particular pest, but some are chemically or biologically active, causing health and environmental problems. Environmental Issues Glossary]
Insecticides
Rodenticides
- A chemical or agent used to destroy rats or other rodent pests, or to prevent them from damaging food, crops, etc. [Terms of Env]
Air Pollutants
- Any substance in air that could, in high enough concentration, harm man, other animals, vegetation, or material. Pollutants may include almost any natural or artificial composition of airborne matter capable of being airborne. They may be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, gases, or in combination thereof. Generally, they fall into two main groups: (1) those emitted directly from identifiable sources and (2) those produced in the air by interaction between two or more primary pollutants, or by reaction with normal atmospheric constituents, with or without photoactivation. Exclusive of pollen, fog, and dust, which are of natural origin, about 100 contaminants have been identified. Air pollutants are often grouped in categories for ease in classification; some of he categories are: solids, sulfur compounds, volatile organic chemicals, particulate matter, nitrogen compounds, oxygen compounds, halogen compounds, radioactive compound, and odors. Air Pollution: The presence of contaminants or pollutant substances in the air that interfere with human health or welfare, or produce other harmful environmental effects. [Terms of Env]
Aerosols
Criteria Air Pollutants
Hazardous Air Pollutants
- Air pollutants which are not covered by ambient air quality standards but which, as defined in the Clean Air Act, may present a threat of adverse human health effects or adverse environmental effects. Such pollutants include asbestos, beryllium, mercury, benzene, coke oven emissions, radionuclides, and vinyl chloride. [Terms of Env]
Particulate Matter
- A complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. It is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles. [Greening EPA Glossary]
Propellants
Refrigerants
Secondhand Smoke
Biological Contaminants
- Living organisms or derivates(e.g., viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mammal and bird antigens that can cause harmful health effects when inhaled, swallowed, or otherwise taken into the body. [Terms of Env]
Microorganisms
- Living organisms that can be seen individually only with the aid of a microscope. [Drink Water Tech & Legal 2009]
Algae
- Simple rootless plants that grow in sunlit waters in proportion to the amount of available nutrients. They can affect water quality adversely by lowering the dissolved oxygen in the water. They are food for fish and small aquatic animals. [Terms of Env]
Bacteria
- (Singular: bacterium) Microscopic living organisms that can aid in pollution control by metabolizing organic matter in sewage, oil spills or other pollutants. However, bacteria in soil, water or air can also cause human, animal and plant health problems. [Terms of Env]
Coliform
- A group of related bacteria whose presence in drinking water may indicate contamination by disease-causing micro-organisms. [Safe Drinking Water Glossary]
E.Coli
Legionella
- A genus of bacteria, some species of which have caused a type of pneumonia called Legionaires Disease. [Terms of Env]
Salmonella
Microbial Pathogens
Protista
Cryptosporidium
- A protozoan microbe associated with the disease cryptosporidiosis in man. The disease can be transmitted through ingestion of drinking water, person-to-person contact, or other pathways, and can cause acute diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and can be fatal as it was in the Milwaukee episode. [Terms of Env]
Giardia Lamblia
- Protozoan in the feces of humans and animals that can cause severe gastrointestinal ailments. It is a common contaminant of surface waters. [Terms of Env]
Pfiesteria
Viruses
Mold & Mildew
Debris
- A broad category of large manufactured and naturally occurring objects that are commonly discarded (e.g., construction materials, decommissioned industrial equipment, discarded manufactured objects, tree trunks, boulders). [RCRA Glossary]
Regulated Contaminants & Pollutants
Soil Contaminants
Unregulated Contaminants & Pollutants
Contaminant Candidates
- Items that are on the Contaminant Candidate List.
Emerging Contaminants
Water Pollutants
Disinfection Byproducts
- A compound formed by the reaction of a disinfenctant such as chlorine with organic material in the water supply; a chemical byproduct of the disinfection process. [Terms of Env]
Dredged Materials
Drinking Water Contaminants
Sediments
- Soil, sand, and minerals washed from land into water, usually after rain. They pile up in reservoirs, rivers and harbors, destroying fish and wildlife habitat, and clouding the water so that sunlight cannot reach aquatic plants. Careless farming, mining, and building activities will expose sediment materials, allowing them to wash off the land after rainfall. [Terms of Env]
Contaminated Sediments
Background Radiation
Electric & Magnetic Fields
Infrared Radiation
- Infrared radiation is the heat energy emitted from a material. The term infrared refers to energy in the region of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum at wavelengths longer than those of visible light, but shorter than those of radio waves. [Heat Island Effect Glossary]
Ionizing Radiation
- Radiation that can strip electrons from atoms; e.g., alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. [Terms of Env]
Nonionizing Radiation
Radionuclides
- Radioactive particle, man-made (anthropogenic) or natural, with a distinct atomic weight number. Can have a long life as soil or water pollutant. [Terms of Env]
Radon
- A colorless naturally occurring, radioactive, inert gas formed by radioactive decay of radium atoms in soil or rocks. [Terms of Env]
Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials
Ultraviolet Radiation
- A portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths shorted than visible light. The sun produces UV, which is commonly split into three bands of decreasing wavelength. Shorter wavelength radiation has a greater potential to cause biological damage on living organisms. The longer wavelength ultraviolet... band, UVA, is not absorbed by ozone in the atmosphere. UVB is mostly absorbed by ozone, although some reaches the Earth. The shortest wavelength band, UVC, is completely absorbed by ozone and normal oxygen in the atmosphere. [Greenhouse Emissions Glossary]
Animal Waste
Electronic Waste
Hazardous Waste
- By-products of society that can pose a substantial or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly managed. Possesses at least one of four characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity), or appears on special EPA lists. [Terms of Env]
Household Hazardous Wastes
- Hazardous products used and disposed of by residential as opposed to industrial consumers. Includes paints, stains, varnishes, solvents, pesticides, and other materials or products containing volatile chemicals that can catch fire, react or explode, or that are corrosive or toxic. [Terms of Env]
Universal Wastes
- Commonly recycled wastes with special management provisions intended to facilitate recycling. There are three categories of universal wastes: hazardous waste batteries, hazardous waste pesticides that have been recalled or collected in waste pesticide collection programs, and hazardous waste thermostats. [RCRA Glossary]
Liquid Waste
Sewage Sludge & Effluents
Used Oil
- Spent motor oil from passenger cars and trucks collected at specified locations for recycling (not included in the category of municipal solid waste). [Terms of Env]
Mixed Waste
- Radioactive waste that is also a hazardous waste under RCRA. Such wastes are jointly regulated by RCRA and Atomic Energy Act. [RCRA Glossary]
Radioactive Waste
- Any waste that emits energy as rays, waves, or streams of energetic particles. Radioactive materials are often mixed with hazardous waste, usually from nuclear reactors, research institutions, or hospitals.
Spent Nuclear Fuel
- Nuclear reactor fuel that has been used to the extent to that it can no longer effectively sustain a chain reaction. [Radiation Glossary]
Solid Waste
- Non-liquid, non-soluble materials ranging from municipal garbage to industrial wastes that contain complex and sometimes hazardous substances. Solid wastes also include sewage sludge, agricultural refuse, demolition wastes, and mining residues. Technically, solid waste also refers to liquids and gases in containers. [Terms of Env]
Food Waste
- Uneaten food and food preparation wastes from residences and commercial establishments such as grocery stores, restaurants, and produce stands, institutional cafeterias and kitchens, and industrial sources like employee lunchrooms. [Terms of Env]
Medical Waste
- Any solid waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals, excluding hazardous waste identified or listed under 40 CFR Part 261 or any household waste as defined in 40 CFR Sub-section 261.4 (b)(1). [Terms of Env]
Municipal Solid Waste
- Common garbage or trash generated by industries, businesses, institutions, and homes. [Terms of Env]
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