Chapter 14

the study and management of environmental conditions that affect the health and well-being of humans

factors or conditions in the environment that increase the risk of human injury, disease, or death

contamination of the air that interferes with the comfort, safety, and health of living organisms

air pollutants emanating directly from transportation, power and industrial plants, and refineries

air pollutants formed when primary air pollutants react with sunlight and other atmospheric components to form new harmful compounds

smog formed when air pollutants interact with sunlight

smog formed primarily by sulfur dioxide and suspended particles from the burning of coal, also know as gray smog

O3, an inorganic molecule considered to be a pollutant in the atmosphere because it harms human tissue, but considered beneficial in the stratosphere because it screens out UV radiation

a condition that occurs when warm air traps cooler air at the surface of the earth

the federal law that provides the government with authority to address interstate air pollution

standards created by the EPA for allowable concentration levels of outdoor air pollutants

the federal agency primarily responsible for setting, maintaining, and enforcing environmental standards

the most pervasive air pollutants and those of greatest concern in the United States

an index that indicates the level of pollution in the air and the associated health risk

atmosphere gases, principally carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, ozone, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide  that are transparent to visible light but absorb infrared radiation

a naturally occurring mineral fiber that has been identified as a Class A carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency

airborne biological organisms or their particles or gases or other toxic materials that can produce illness

gases and particulates generated by burning

compounds that exist as vapors over the normal range of air pressures and temperatures

a water-soluble gas used in aqueous solutions in hundreds of consumer products

agents, usually chemicals, that cause cancer

a naturally occurring colorless, tasteless, odorless, radioactive gas formed during the radioactive decay of uranium-238

tobacco smoke in the environment that can be inhaled by nonsmokers

environmental tobacco smoke

tobacco smoke inhaled and exhaled by the smoker

tobacco smoke that comes off the end of burning tobacco products

the inhalation of environmental tobacco smoke by nonsmokers

a term to describe a situation in which the air quality in a building produces generalized signs and symptoms of ill health in the buildings occupants

the practice of establishing and maintaining healthy or hygienic conditions in the environment

precipitation that does not infiltrate the ground or return to the atmosphere by evaporation; the water in streams, rivers, and lakes

water located under the surface of the ground

porous, water saturated layers of underground bedrock, sand, and gravel that can yield economically significant amounts of water

any physical or chemical change in water that can harm living organisms or make the water unfit for other uses

pollution that can be traced to a single identifiable source

all pollution that occurs through the runoff, seepage, or falling of pollutants into the water

water that flows over land surfaces (including paved surfaces), typically from precipitation

a disease in which at least two persons experience a similar illness after the ingestion of drinking water or after exposure to water used for recreational purposes and epidemiological evidence implicates water as the probable source of the illness

a chemical that interferes in some way with the body's endocrine (hormone) system

synthetic chemicals found in everyday consumer health care products and cosmetics

the aqueous mixture that remains after water has been used or contaminated by humans

the process of improving the quality of wastewater (sewage) to the point that it can be released into a body of water without seriously disrupting the aquatic environment, causing health problems in humans, or causing nuisance conditions

a semiliquid mixture of solid waste that includes bacteria, viruses, organic matter, toxic metals, synthetic organic chemicals, and solid chemicals

a watertight concrete or fiberglass tank that holds sewage; one of two main parts of a septic system

the element of a septic system in which the liquid portion of waste is distributed

the federal law aimed at ensuring that all rivers are swimmable and fishable and that limits the discharge of pollutants in U.S. waters to zero

the area of land from which all of the water that is under it or drains from it goes into the same place and drains in one point

the federal law that regulates the safety of public drinking water

the occurrence of two or more cases of a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of food

any organism-a multicelled animal or plant, or a microbe- that has an adverse effect on human interests

synthetic chemicals developed and manufactured for the purpose of killing pests

the organism (or pest) for which a pesticide is applied

all other susceptible organisms in the environment, for which a pesticide was not intended

environmental workers responsible for the inspection of restaurants, retail food outlets, public housing, and other sites to ensure compliance with public health codes

solid refuse from households, agriculture, and businesses

waste generated by individual households, businesses, and institutions located within municipalities

a solid waste or combination of solid wastes that is dangerous to human health or the environment

the federal law that sets forth guidelines for the proper handling and disposal of hazardous wastes

the collection, transportation, and disposal of solid waste

a waste management approach involving the reduction or elimination of the use of materials that produce an accumulation of solid waste

the collecting, sorting, and processing of materials that would otherwise be considered waste

the natural, aerobic biodegradation of organic plant and animal matter to compost

waste disposal sites on land suited for this purpose and on which waste is spread in thin layers, compacted, and covered with a fresh layer of clay or plastic foam each day

liquids created when water mixes with wastes and removes soluble constituents from them by percolation

the burning of solid wastes

the federal law (known as the Superfund) created to clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites

property where reuse is complicated by the presence of hazardous substances from prior use

a naturally occurring mineral element found throughout the environment and used in large quantities for industrial products, including batteries, pipes, solder, paints, and pigments

a living organism, usually an insect or other arthropod, that can transmit a communicable disease agent to a susceptible host (e.g., a mosquito or tick)

an occurrence of an unexpectedly large number of cases of disease caused by an agent transmitted by insects or other arthropods

naturally occurring phenomenon or event that produces or releases energy in amounts that exceed human endurance, causing injury, disease, or death

a process in which energy is emitted as particles or waves

high-energy radiation that can knock an electron out of orbit, creating an ion, and can thereby damage living cells and tissues

radiation energy with wavelengths 0-400 nanometers

a natural hazard that results in substantial loss of life or property

the maximum population of a particular species that a given habitat can support over a given period of time

crimes that occur when offenders choose a victim because of some characteristic

calculated use of violence against civilians to attain goals that are political or religious in nature

the nation's official emergency response agency

a nonprofit, humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter that provides relief to victims of disasters