CHMSP flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

RCRA characteristic waste

Wastes exhibiting ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity under RCRA; they are hazardous regardless of source and are identified by testing or generator knowledge.

CERCLA reportable quantity

A release of a hazardous substance at or above its reportable quantity must be reported to the National Response Center, generally within 24 hours under CERCLA.

EPCRA Tier II inventory

Annual inventory due March 1 for hazardous chemicals at or above 10,000 pounds on site, or at lower thresholds for extremely hazardous substances.

DOT hazard class

A 49 CFR classification grouping hazardous materials by primary risk, such as flammable liquid, corrosive, toxic, or oxidizer; it determines packaging, labels, and shipping papers.

Uniform hazardous waste manifest

A chain-of-custody document accompanying hazardous waste from generator through transporter to treatment, storage, or disposal facility, confirming delivery and supporting RCRA tracking requirements.

Land disposal restrictions

RCRA rules requiring hazardous waste to meet treatment standards or be prohibited from land disposal, limiting migration of hazardous constituents from landfilled or land-treated waste.

BOD5

Five-day biochemical oxygen demand measures oxygen consumed by microorganisms degrading organic matter in water at 20°C; it indicates biodegradable organic load and wastewater strength.

Henry's law

At equilibrium, dissolved gas concentration equals Henry's law constant times partial pressure; higher constants favor volatilization from water to air.

Octanol-water partition coefficient

Octanol-water partition coefficient measures a chemical's preference for octanol versus water; higher log Kow generally indicates greater bioaccumulation potential and lower water solubility.

Darcy's law

Groundwater specific discharge equals hydraulic conductivity times hydraulic gradient; seepage velocity equals specific discharge divided by effective porosity.

NPDES permit

Clean Water Act permit authorizing point-source discharges to waters of the United States; it sets effluent limits, monitoring, and reporting requirements.

LD50

Dose causing death in 50 percent of exposed test animals; lower LD50 means higher acute toxicity, and route and species affect the value.

NOAEL

No-observed-adverse-effect level: highest tested dose without a statistically or biologically significant adverse effect, often used to derive reference doses with uncertainty factors.

Bioaccumulation

Net accumulation of a substance in an organism from all exposure routes, including diet and water; persistence and high lipid solubility increase it.

IARC Group 1

International Agency for Research on Cancer classification meaning the agent is carcinogenic to humans, based on sufficient human evidence; it is hazard identification, not potency ranking.

Toxicokinetics

Study of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of toxicants; these processes determine the dose reaching target organs and the duration of exposure.

OSHA PEL

OSHA permissible exposure limit: legally enforceable airborne concentration for an eight-hour work shift, often a time-weighted average, intended to protect most workers.

IDLH

Immediately dangerous to life or health concentration: exposure likely to cause death, irreversible health effects, or impaired escape; supplied-air respiratory protection is required.

Permit-required confined space

A confined space with a serious hazard such as toxic atmosphere, engulfment, entrapment, or configuration; entry requires a permit, atmospheric testing, attendant, and rescue provisions.

HAZWOPER Level A

Highest chemical protective ensemble: fully encapsulating vapor-protective suit with self-contained breathing apparatus, used when skin and respiratory hazards are high.

Noise exchange rate

Under OSHA, noise exposure doubles with each 5-decibel increase; an eight-hour limit of 90 dBA corresponds to four hours at 95 dBA.

Unified Command

Incident management structure where multiple agencies with jurisdiction or responsibility jointly set objectives and strategies under one incident action plan.

Hot zone

Area where contamination or hazardous exposure may occur; it requires protective ensemble, access control, and decontamination at its boundary.

Emergency Action Plan

OSHA-required plan covering reporting, evacuation routes, accounting, rescue duties, and alarm systems for workplace emergencies.

Shelter-in-place

Protective action keeping people indoors with doors, windows, and ventilation closed to reduce exposure during a short airborne release when evacuation is riskier.

National Response Center

U.S. federal point for reporting oil and hazardous substance releases; CERCLA and Clean Water Act notifications go to it, often within 24 hours.

TCLP

Extraction test used to determine whether waste leachate exceeds RCRA toxicity limits for hazardous constituents, estimating constituent mobility under landfill conditions.

Solidification/stabilization

Treatment immobilizing contaminants by forming a solid matrix or chemical bonds, reducing leachability; it does not necessarily destroy the contaminant.

Destruction and removal efficiency

Percentage of principal organic hazardous constituents destroyed or removed by an incinerator; RCRA commonly requires 99.99 percent destruction and removal efficiency.

Permeable reactive barrier

In-situ permeable wall containing reactive material that treats contaminated groundwater as it flows through, often by abiotic reduction or adsorption.

Soil vapor extraction

In-situ remediation applying vacuum to unsaturated soil to volatilize and extract volatile organic compounds through extraction wells and vapor treatment.

Bioremediation

Use of microorganisms to degrade or transform contaminants under controlled conditions; performance depends on electron acceptors, nutrients, temperature, and bioavailability.