Untitled Flashcards Set

Nutrients

A chemical in food, used for energy, growth, body building, or cell repair.

Carbohydrate

An organic nutrient made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Protein

An organic nutrient composed of a chain of amino acids.

Lipid

An organic nutrient that does not dissolve in water.

Vitamin

A molecule that helps enzymes function in the body.

Minerals

Inorganic substances that are not destroyed by cooking or exposure to air.

Macromineral

Mineral requirement of 100 mg/day or more.

Trace element

Mineral requirement of less than 100 mg/day.

Enzymes

Special protein molecules that regulate chemical reactions in living organisms.

Pesticide

A chemical used to control pests.

Herbicide

A chemical used to control weeds.

Insecticide

A chemical used to control insects.

Fungicide

A chemical used to control molds and fungi.

LD50

The dose of a chemical that will kill 50% of the population to which it is applied.

Biomagnification

The process whereby chemicals accumulate in the tissues of organisms along the food chain.

Bioaccumulate

To collect in progressively higher concentrations toward the top of the food chain.

Biological indicator

A living organism whose state is indicative of conditions in a particular environment.

Acid

A chemical that produces an acidic substance, having a pH value of less than 7.

Acid precipitation

Rain or snow containing acid compounds from the air.

Acid rain

Rain that contains higher than normal levels of acid; damaging to the environment.

Acid-base neutralization

The combining of an acid and a base to produce salt and water.

Base

A chemical that produces a basic substance, having a pH value of more than 7.

Indicator

A chemical that changes colour to indicate whether a substance is an acid or a base.

Liming

The process of adding calcium carbonate to the environment.

Litmus

A mixture of plant compounds used as a chemical indicator.

pH scale

A scale that measures the acidity or alkalinity of a substance.

pH paper

Paper saturated with a chemical to show whether a substance is acidic or basic.

Catalytic converter

A device that encourages complete oxidation during combustion.

Catalyst

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up in the reaction.

Oxidation

A chemical reaction in which oxygen combines with other elements to form new substances.

Scrubbers

Antipollution systems that remove sulfur dioxide and contaminating gases resulting from burning fossil fuels.

Sorbent

A substance that absorbs oxides.

Acceptable risk

A level of danger that people tolerate because the benefits outweigh the downsides.

Pollutant

Any material or form of energy that will cause harm to a living organism.

Pollution

Any alteration of the environment producing a condition that is harmful to living things.

Macroinvertebrates

Organisms visible to the unaided eye and lacking a backbone.

Non-persistent wastes

Wastes that can be broken down by naturally occurring chemical reactions or bacterial action.

Non-point source

A source of pollution in which pollutants are diffuse and originate from no specific location.

Toxicity

The ability of a chemical to cause harm to an organism.

Acute toxicity

Serious symptoms that occur after only one exposure to a chemical.

Chronic toxicity

Symptoms appear only after a chemical accumulates to a specific level after many exposures.

Persistent wastes

Wastes that accumulate in the environment and break down very slowly.

Point source

A specific location where pollution originates.

Ground water

Water that filters down through soil and fills spaces in the ground.

Aquifer

An underwater reserve of water.

Biodegradable substances

Organic compounds that can be broken down by bacteria and fungi into carbon dioxide and water.

Hazardous waste

Discarded material containing substances known to be poisonous, toxic, corrosive, flammable, or explosive.

Solvent

Any substance that can be used to dissolve another substance.

Sanitary landfill

A landfill incorporating a waterproof liner filled with compacted garbage.

Leachate

The liquid that results as wastes decompose and rainwater filters through the landfill.

Secure landfill

A specialized landfill that safely disposes of hazardous and toxic wastes.

Bioreactor

A tank containing bacteria for bioremediation.

Bioremediation

Method of using living organisms to break down complex, toxic substances into simpler, non-toxic ones.