environmental health
the study and management of environmental conditions that affect the health and well-being of humans
environmental hazards
factors or conditions in the environment that increase the risk of human injury, disease, or death
air pollution
contamination of air by substances in great enough amounts to harm living organisms
primary pollutants
air pollutants emanating directly from transportation, power and industrial plants, and refineries
secondary pollutants
air pollutants formed when primary air pollutants react with sunlight and other atmospheric components to form new harmful components
photochemical smog
haze or fog formed when air pollutants interact with sunlight
industrial smog
haze or fog formed primarily by sulfur dioxide and suspended particles from the burning of coal
ozone
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
thermal inversion
a condition that occurs when warm air traps cooler air at the surface of the earth
Clean Air Act
1963; federal law that provides the government with authority to address interstate air pollution
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
amendment to CAA, 1970; created by the EPA or allowable concentration levels of outdoor air pollution
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
federal agency primarily responsible for setting, maintaining, and enforcing environmental standards
criteria pollutants
the most pervasive air pollutants and those of greatest concern in the U.S.
air quality index (AQI)
air index that indicates the level of pollution in their air and the associated health risk
greenhouse gases
atmosphere gases, principally carbon dioxide and others that are transparent to visible light but absorb infrared radiation
asbestos
a naturally occurring mineral fiber identified as a Class A carcinogen by the EPA
biogenic pollutants
airborne biological organisms or their particles or gases or other toxic materials that can produce illness
combustion by-products
gases and particulates generated by burning
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
compounds that exist as vapors over the normal range of air pressures and temperatures
formaldehyde
water-soluble gas used in aqueous solutions in hundreds of consumer products
radon
naturally occurring colorless, tasteless, odorless, radioactive gas formed during the radioactive decay of uranium-238
environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)
tobacco smoke in the environment that can be inhaled by nonsmokers
mainstream smoke
tobacco smoke inhaled and exhaled by the smoker
sidestream smoke
smoke from the end of burning tobacco products
passive smoke
inhalation of ETS by nonsmokers
waterbourne disease
responsible for 1.5 million deaths worldwide
surface water
precipitation that does not infiltrate the ground or return to the atmosphere by evaporation; water in streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs
groundwater
water located under the surface of the ground
aquifers
porous, water-saturated layers of underground bedrock, sand, and gravel that can yield economically significant amounts of water
water pollution
any physical or chemical change in water that can harm living organisms or make the water unfit for other uses
point source pollution
pollution that can be traced to a single identifiable source
nonpoint source pollution
all pollution that occurs through runoff, seepage, or falling of pollutants into water
runoff
water that flows over land surfaces, typically from precipitation
biological pollutant
living organisms or their products that make water unsafe for human consumption (viruses, bacteria, parasites)
nonbiological pollutant
heat, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals, radioactive pollutants
endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC)
chemical that interferes with the body's hormone system
pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PCCPs)
synthetic chemicals found in everyday consumer health care products and cosmetics
waterbourne disease outbreak (WBDO)
at least 2 people epidemiologically linked to recreational or drinking water by location, time, and illness
fluoridation
responsible for the decline in dental caries in the US since 1950
wastewater
aqueous mixture that remains after water has been used or contaminated by humans
wastewater treatment
process of improving the quality of wastewater 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
Clean Water Act (CWA)
federal law aimed at ensuring that all rivers are swimmable and fishable and that limits the discharge of pollutants in US waters to zero
watershed
area of land from which all water under it/drains from it goes into the same places and drains in one point
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
federal law that regulates the safety of public drinking water
foodbourne disease outbreak (FBDO)
two or more cases of similar illness resulting from ingesting of common food
pest
weeds, termites, mold
pesticides
synthetic chemicals to kill pests
target organisms
pests for which a pesticide is applied
nontarget organisms
all other susceptible organisms in the environment, for which a pesticide was not intended