AALSO Water Quality Level 1

Define "absorption spectroscopy"

An analytical method that uses the wavelength dependent absorption characteristics of materials to identify and quantify specific substances

Define "accuracy"

The degree of agreement between the experimental result and the true value

Define "administrative controls"

Changes in work procedures with the goal of reducing the duration, frequency, and severity of exposure to hazardous chemicals or situations

Define "alkalinity" (water quality definition)

A measure of water's resistance to changes in pH or its buffering capacity

What does AOB stand for?

Ammonia oxidizing bacteria

Define "ammonia oxidizing bacteria"

Nitrifying bacteria that promote oxidation of ammonia into nitrite

What does AOD stand for?

Applied ozone dose

Define "applied ozone dose"

The quantity of ozone applied for a given flow, or the required ozone production rate

Define "DPD Method"

A method of measuring the chlorine residual in water

Define "engineering controls"

Methods that are built into the design of a plant, equipment, or process to minimize the hazard

What does GHS stand for?

Globally Harmonized System

Define "Globally Harmonized System"

An international system of classification and labelling of chemicals

Define "Laboratory Fortified Blank"

a sample of reagent water to which known quantities of the method analytes are added in the lab. analyzed like a sample

Define "Laboratory fortified matrix"

a sample of an environmental sample to which known quantities of the method analytes are added in the lab. analyzed like a sample

Define "Laboratory fortified matrix duplicate"

A duplicate of the matrix spike also used to assess the precision and bias of a method in a given sample matrix

Define "Matrix" (water quality definition)

The components of a sample other than the analyte of interest

Define "Matrix duplicate"

A split sample used to assess the precision of a method in a given sample matrix

What does MPN stand for?

Most Probable Number

What is MPN used for?

Quantifying an estimated concentration of bacteria

Define "New Tank Syndrome"

The toxic buildup of ammonia and nitrite in a new system

What causes New Tank Syndrome?

The bacteria have not reached a population level large enough to process the available ammonia or nitrite produced

What does ORP stand for?

oxidation-reduction potential

Define "Oxidation-reduction potential"

The electrical potential required to transfer electrons from one compound or element (the oxidant) to another compound or element (the reductant); in water quality, this result is the net status of all oxidation and reduction reactions in the sample being measured.

What unit is used for oxidation-reduction potential (ORP)?

millivolts

Define "oxidant"

A reactant that oxidizes or removes electrons from other reactants during a redox reaction

Define "oxidation"

A chemical reaction involving the gain of oxygen, or loss of electrons

What does a positive ORP result indicate?

An oxidizing environment

What does a negative ORP result indicate?

A reducing environment

Define "ozone" (water quality definition)

An unstable gas that is toxic to humans and has a strong odor; a strong oxidizing agent

What is the chemical composition of ozone?

O3

Define "pH"

An expression of the intensity of the basic or acidic condition of a liquid

Define "random error"

Unpredictable errors that average out, and have a varying magnitude; errors outside of one's control

Define "reagent blank"

A blank that is processed like a sample and can be used to zero or subtract out the small positive error that may arise in the reagents

What does SDS stand for?

Safety Data Sheet

Define "Safety data sheet"

A document that provides pertinent information and a profile of a particular hazardous substance or mixture

Who adopted that GHS?

The UN

What aspects are required to be on an SDS?

1) Product or chemical identifier

2) Hazards identification

3) Composition/Information on ingredients

4) First-aid measures

5) Firefighting measures

6) Accidental release measures

7) Handling and storage

8) Exposure Controls/Personal Protection

9) Physical and Chemical Properties

10) Stability and Reactivity

11) Toxicological Information

12) Other information

What aspects are recommended to be on an SDS but are not required?

1) Ecological information

2) Disposal Considerations

3) Transport Information

4) Regulatory information

What must all chemical labels include?

1) Pictogram(s)

2) Signal word

3) Hazard statements

4) Precautionary statements

5) Product identifier (ingredients)

6) Supplier contact information

7) Supplemental information

Pictogram indicating explosive

Pictogram indicating flammable

Pictogram indicating oxidizers

Pictogram indicating gas under pressure

Pictogram indicating corrosives

Pictogram indicating acute toxicity

Pictogram indicating harmful irritant

Pictogram indicating severe health hazards

Pictogram indicating environmental toxicity

When mixing acid and water, how should you combine them?

Add acid to water

Why should you not add water to acid?

The exothermic reaction may cause splashback

What are the goals of chemical clean-up?

1) Prevent spread of dusts and vapors

2) Control spread of liquids

3) Neutralize acids and bases

4) Absorb chemicals

5) Collect and contain clean-up residue

6) Discard broken class in appropriate containers

7) Decontaminate area and affected equipment

List the hierarchy of hazard controls from most effective to least effective

1) Elimination

2) Substitution

3) Engineering controls

4) Administrative controls

5) PPE

Define "spectrophotometers"

Instruments that can measure the absorbance or transmittance of a sample

What type of instrument is our Hach machine?

A spectrophotometer

Define "potentiometry"

An analytical methodology that is based on measurement of an electrochemical cell's potential

What unit is measured in potentiometry?

Millivoltes

What instrument is used for potentiometry?

Electrodes

What is another term for electrodes?

Probes

What is another term for probes?

Electrodes

What is the equation for calculating pH?

pH = -log[H+]

Define "salinity"

The measurement of salt ion concentration in water

What is the preferred unit for salinity?

parts per thousand (ppt)

What are two methods to measure salinity?

1) Refractometry

2) Conductivity

Erlenmeyer flask

What is an Erlenmeyer flask the best glassware for?

Mixing a liquid solution on a spinner plate

Graduated cylinder

What is a graduated cylinder best used for?

Accurately measuring liquids

Volumetric flask

What is a volumetric flask used for?

An accurate measure of a fixed liquid volume; dilutions

Beaker

What is a beaker best used for?

Mixing solutions and weighing dry chemicals

What is a burette used for?

Titrations

What are the two possible endpoints for titrations?

1) Colorimetric end point

2) pH endpoint

What water quality test due we run that uses titration?

Alkalinity

Define "precision"

Indicates how closely repeated measurements agree

Define "sample blank"

A solution free of the analyte of interest

What is a sample blank used for?

Instrument calibration and zeroing out

What does LFB stand for?

Laboratory fortified blank

What is a laboratory fortified blank used for?

Used to show that sample preparation procedures do not contribute to loss of analyte

What does LFM stand for?

Laboratory fortified matrix

What is another term for laboratory fortified matrix?

Matrix spike

What is a laboratory fortified matrix used for?

Used to assess the bias of a method in a given sample matrix

Define "gross error"

Error due to human error with collection or testing

Define "systemic error"

Errors with the testing process

What are the steps of the nitrogen cycle?

1) Animals produce waste

2) Bacteria cause ammonification of waste to ammonia

3) Nitrifying bacteria and oxygen convert ammonia to nitrite

4) Nitrifying bacteria and oxygen convert nitrite to nitrate

5) Plants, denitrifying bacteria, and water changes convert nitrate to elemental nitrogen

6) Elemental nitrogen is consumed by marine life and converted to waste

Define "old tank syndrome"

An established system that is at risk for producing high levels of nitrates

What is the difference between units expressed as [Compound] and units expressed as [Compound]-N?

[Compound] uses the molecular weight of the entire compound, whereas [Compound]-N uses the molecular weight of only the nitrogen atom

What is the chemical composition of ammonium?

NH4+

What is the chemical composition of ammonia?

NH3

Which is considered the more toxic form of ammonia?

Unionized ammonia (NH3)

Which is considered the less toxic form of ammonia?

Ammonium (NH4+)

What two factors could potentially cause a decrease in alkalinity?

1) Acidic pH

2) Increased bacteria

What does CFU stand for?

colony forming unit

What does CFU measure?

Coliform bacteria and enterococci

What is the difference between CFU and MPN?

How the values were obtained

How is MPN obtained?

Through multiple tube fermentation (well trays)

How is CFU obtained?

Membrane filtration (petri dish)

What is ozone used for?

1) Point of contact sterilization

2) Pathogen control

3) Reducing organic load

4) Clarification agent

How does ozone control pathogens?

Facilitates in the rupture of microorganisms' cell walls

What color does ozone turn water?

Light blue