Glossary of Terms
The following terms are commonly used in Environmental Management Services Documents:
A/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/Q/R/S/T/U/V/W/X/Y/Z
acid: An organic or inorganic compound that has a pH < 7. Acidic materials are corrosive to human tissue.
acidic: In general, a substance which contains hydrogen and which dissolves in water to produce one or more hydrogen ions. Acidity is commonly measured using the pH scale. Acids have a pH lower than 7.
action level: A concentration designated in 29 CFR (code of federal regulations) part 1910 for a specific substance, calculated as an eight (8)-hour-time-weighted average, which initiates certain required activities such as exposed monitoring and medical surveillance.
acute toxicity: Adverse effects suffered as the result of a short, one-time exposure to toxic materials. It occurs within a relatively short period of time. Exposure is measured in seconds, minutes or hours relative to inhalation or skin absorption.
acute waste: Also known as P-listed materials.
"American Society of Testing & Materials" (ASTM)
"Authorized Materials Receiver" (AMR): University employees responsible for receiving hazardous materials and adding them to the chemical tracking database (aka: ChemTrack).
base : Chemical compounds that have a pH > 7. Bases are also referred to as alkalis or caustic materials and can be corrosive to human tissue.
basic: In general, a substance which dissolves in water to produce one or more hydroxyl ions. Basicicty is commonly measured using the pH scale. Bases have a pH higher than 7. (also see acidic)
boiling point: Temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid is equivalent to the surrounding atmospheric pressure, and the liquid rapidly becomes a vapor. Flammable substances possessing low boiling points are considered fire hazards.
carcinogen: A chemical is considered to be a carcinogen if:
- It has been evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC] and found to be a carcinogen or potential carcinogen
- It is listed as a carcinogen or potential carcinogen in the Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) (latest edition)
- It is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen
caustic: Strongly alkaline material that produces either corrosion or irritation to living tissue.
chemical waste:
combustible liquid: Any liquid having a flashpoint at or above 100 °F (37.8 °C ) but below 200 °F (93.3 °C ), liquid except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 200 °F (93.3 °C ), or higher, the total volume of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture.
compressed gas:
- A gas or mixture of gases having in a container, an absolute pressure gas exceeding gas 40 psi at 70 °F (21.1 °C )
- A gas or mixture of gases having in a container, an absolute pressure exceeding 104 psi at 130 °F (54.4 °C ) regardless of the pressure at 70 °F (21.1 °C )
- A liquid having a vapor pressure exceeding 40 psi at 100 °F (37.8 °C ) as determined by ASTM D-323-72
containment:
corrosivity: Evaluated on the basis of pH. A material with a pH less than 5.5 or greater than 9.5 is a corrosive hazardous material. The warning word(s) CORROSIVE, CAUSTIC, ACID, ALKALINE on a material's label indicate that the material is a corrosive hazardous material. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) will usually indicate the pH.
"Dangerous Materials Storage Facility" (DMSF): Registered storage location for all campus wastes.
"Department of Transportation" (DOT):
"Environmental Protection Agency" (EPA): Federal agency that regulates and enforces environmental protection.
embryotoxin: A substance deemed to adversely affect a developing embryo at a particular concentration, but does not affect the pregnant female.
explosives: Materials capable of instantaneous release of gas or heat.
- TNT
- Dynamite
- Black Powder
- various other chemicals identified as explosive
flammable liquid: Any liquid having a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C ) except any mixture having liquid components with flashpoints of 100 °F (37.8 °C ) or higher, the total of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture.
flammable solid: A solid that could cause a fire through friction, absorption of moisture, spontaneous chemical change, or retained heat from manufacturing or processing, or which can be ignited readily and when ignited burns so vigorously and persistently as to create a serious hazard.
flammability: The ease with which a liquid, solid, or gas will ignite, either spontaneously (pyrophoric) or as the result of a spark or open flame. The more flammable a material, the more readily ignition occurs.
flash point: The lowest temperature at which flammable vapor is given off a liquid in sufficient concentration to be ignited in air when exposed to a source of ignition.
hazardous chemical: A chemical for which there is statistically significant evidence based on at least one study conducted in accordance with established scientific principles that acute or chronic health effects may occur in exposed employees.
hazardous material: Substances which have hazardous characteristics such as: flammable, corrosive, reactive, toxic, radioactive, poisonous, carcinogenic or infectious. These materials are considered hazardous because they present a potential risk to humans and/or the environment.
hazardous waste: A wide range of material such as discarded commercial chemical products, process wastes and wastewater. Some chemicals and chemical mixtures are hazardous wastes because they are specifically listed by the EPA. A chemical waste that is not listed by the EPA is still a hazardous waste if it has one or more of EPA's 4 hazardous characteristics: flammability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity .
health hazard: Includes chemicals which are carcinogens, toxic or highly toxic agents, reproductive toxins, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins, agents which act on the hematopoietic systems, and agents which damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes.
highly toxic: A chemical falling within any of the following categories:
- A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD50) of 50 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight when administered orally to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
- A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD50) of 200 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight when administered by continuous contact for 24 hours (or less if death occurs within 24 hours) with the bare skin of albino rabbits weighing between two and three kilograms each.
- A chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC50) in air of 200 parts per million by volume or less of gas or vapor, or 2 milligrams per liter or less of mist, fume, or dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for one hour (or less if death occurs within one hour) to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
ignitability: Evaluated on the basis of flash point. Materials with a flash point less than 200 F is an ignitable hazardous material. The warning word(s) FLAMMABLE or COMBUSTIBLE on a material's label indicate that the material is an ignitable hazardous material. The MSDS for a material will give the flash point.
infectious waste: Waste that is capable of producing disease. For waste to be considered infectious, it must contain oncogenic viruses or other pathogenic microorganisms with sufficient virulence and quantity that exposure to the waste could result in an infectious disease.
irritant: Substances that cause tissue inflammation or soreness upon absorption, inhalation, or ingestion.
"lethal concentration fifty" (LC50): Quantity of material that when inhaled, will cause death of 50% of the test animals. The test conditions should be specified, the value is expressed in g/kg or mg/kg of body weight.
"lethal dose fifty" (LD50): Quantity of material that when ingested, injected, or applied to the skin as a single dose, will cause death of 50% of the test animals. The test conditions should be specified, the value is expressed in g/kg or mg/kg of body weight.
Management Unit: With respect to the chemical tracking program, the campus is divided into three Campus Management Units; A= Arts & Science, E = Engineering, M = Materials, Energy & Earth Resources. Chemicals are inventoried accordingly.
"Material Safety Data Sheets" (MSDS): A MSDS is produced by chemical manufacturers and importers. They relay chemical, physical, and hazard information about specific chemicals.
mutagen: Chemical compounds that induce mutations in DNA and living cells.
neutralize: to alter an acidic or basic compound to a pH of 7, thereby making it chemically neutral.
organic materials: Any chemical compound containing carbon.
oxidizer: A substance that supplies oxygen to support combustion of normally non-flammable material.
- Ammonium Nitrate
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Nitric Acid
- Chlorates
oxidizing agent: Oxygen-containing material which can decompose, generating oxygen.
"permissible exposure limit" (PEL): Permissible exposure limits for the work place, set by regulation and enforced by OSHA. Most of these limit values were originally set, by consensus, by the ACGIH to assist industrial hygienists in implementing exposure control programs. As law, these are listed in 29 CFR 1910.1000 and subject to revision through the regulatory process.
pH: Numeric value used to express acidity and alkalinity.
poison: Substance which is harmful to living tissue when applied in small doses. Determining factors include concentration, exposure time, particle size, the substance's affinity for tissue, and sensitivity of the exposed tissue to that compound.
pyrophoric: Materials that may undergo spontaneous heating or self ignition upon contact with air.
- Iron Sulfide
- Aluminum Alkyls
- Alkyl Boranes
- Aluminum fines
radioactivity: Nuclear transformation, either by natural or artificial means, resulting in emission of energy in the form of alpha, beta, or gamma rays. Amounts of radioactive material are described by the rate of radioactive decay, the Curie (Ci), or in metric multiples and fractions thereof.
reactivity: Proclivity of a compound to chemically react with other substances or itself, resulting in the liberation of energy. Can cause the formation of toxic or corrosive materials, pressure buildup, and temperature fluctuations.
reducer:
reproductive toxins: Chemicals which affect the reproductive capabilities including chromosomal damage (mutations) and effects on fetuses (teratogenesis).
segregation: Separating certain types of chemicals at the time of disposal. This method not only lowers disposal costs, but also decreases the chances of incompatible materials being added together.
Keep the following groups to themselves whenever possible:
- Non-halogenated organic solvents
- Halogenated solvents (% water unimportant)
- Solutions containing compounds of the following metals: arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, silver.
- Any solution containing mercury or its compounds. (Mercury/mercury compounds should be kept separate from any liquid whenever possible.)
- Acids
- Bases
- Cyanides
- Sulfides
- Organic peroxides
- Photographic fixer
- Photographic developer
- Photographic stop bath
Do not put acidic or basic waste (pH <3 or >9) in metal cans. Metal cans corrode in a very short time. Keep acids and bases separate from hydrocarbons and ethers.
When possible, keep all carcinogens/mutagens separate from other waste. Keep aqueous wastes separate from organic solvents. Keep halogenated solvents and wastes separate from non-halogenated solvents.
self-survey:
semi annual inspection:
sensitizer: Chemical that causes a substantial proportion of exposed people or animals to develop an allergic reaction in normal tissue after repeated exposure to the chemical.
"short term exposure limit" (STEL): A 15-minute time-weighted average exposure which should not be exceeded at any time during a work day, even if the eight-hour time-weighted average is within the TLV.
solvent: Substances capable of dissolving other substances to form a uniformly dispersed mixture or solution.
teratogen: Chemical and physical agents which interfere with normal embryonic development. Teratogens may produce congenital malformations or death of the fetus without inducing damage to the pregnant female.
"threshold limit value"(TLV): Indicates the concentration of a chemical substance in the atmosphere that is considered non-hazardous in a person's normal working life.
"time weighted average" (TWA): Concentration for a normal 8-hour working day (40 hours/week) to which all workers may be exposed without adverse effect.
toxicity: The ability of a substance to produce injury once it reaches a susceptible site in or on the body.
- A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD50) of more than 50 milligrams per kilogram but not more than 500 milligrams per kilogram of body weight when administered orally to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
- A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD50) of more than 200 milligrams per kilogram but not more than 1000 milligrams per kilogram of body weight when administered by continuous contact for 24 hours (or less if death occurs within 24 hours) with the bare skin of albino rabbits weighing between two and three kilograms each.
- A chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC50) in air of more than 200 parts per million but not more than 2,000 parts per million by volume of gas or vapor, or more than two milligrams per liter but not more than 20 milligrams per liter of mist, fume, or dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for one hour (or less if death occurs within one hour) to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
UN number: Four-digit number assigned to the article or substance under the United Nations classification system.
volatility: The tendency of a liquid or solid to pass into the vapor state at a particular temperature.
water reactive: Chemical that reacts with water to release a gas that is either flammable or presents a health hazard.