Terminology Services

America's Children and the Environment Terms

Long Name:

America's Childen and the Environment: Glossary of Terms

Description:

Glossary of terms to support the America's Children and the Environment: Measures of Contaminants, Body Burdens, and Illness (Second Edition) (EPA 240-R-03-001)

Publishing Organization:

Office of the Administrator/Office of Policy/National Center for Environmental Economics

Last Update:

February 2003

Program Site:

https://www.epa.gov/americaschildrenenvironment

Terms & Acronyms

Search Terms

Contains Begins Exact Match

	Term
	Air Toxics	Definition: See Hazardous Air Pollutants.
	Ambient Air	Definition: Outdoor air, any unconfined portion of the atmosphere, open air.
	Asthma	Definition: A chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs. Symptoms include wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightening, and cough.
	Attention Deficit Disorder	Acronym: ADD
	Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder	Definition: A disorder in which the prominent symptoms are hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. Also referred to as ADD (attention deficit disorder). Acronym: ADHD
	Benzene	Definition: A colorless, volatile, flammable, toxic liquid aromatic hydrocarbon (C₆H₆) used in organic synthesis, as a solvent, and as a component of motor fuel. Benzene is a known human carcinogen and an important hazardous air pollutant. Acronym: C₆H₆
	Cadmium	Definition: A heavy metal used primarily for metal plating and coating operations, in applications such as transportation equipment, machinery and baking enamels, photography, and television phosphors. It also is used in nickel-cadmium and solar batteries, and in pigments. It also is found in cigarette smoke and is an important hazardous air pollutant.
	Carbon Monoxide	Definition: A colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels; one of the six "criteria" pollutants for which EPA has set National Ambient Air Quality Standards under the Clean Air Act. Acronym: CO
	Carbon Tetrachloride	Definition: A manufactured compound, most often found as a colorless gas. Because of its harmful effect on the ozone layer, the production and use of carbon tetrachloride in industrialized nations was banned in 1996 under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. It is highly persistent and remains at levels of concern in the environment in the United States; it is an important hazardous air pollutant.
	Carcinoma	Definition: A form of cancer that begins in the tissues lining or covering an organ.
	Cardiopulmonary Mortality	Definition: Death due to malfunction of the heart and lungs; also refers to the death rate from these causes.
	Cardiovascular Effects	Definition: Health effects related to the heart and circulatory system.
	Chlorinated Dibenzofurans	Definition: A family of 135 individual compounds with varying harmful health and environmental effects. CDFs typically are released to the environment through the incineration of municipal and industrial waste, accidental combustion of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and the manufacture of certain metals and paper products. Acronym: CDFs
	Chromium	Definition: A heavy metal that is an important hazardous air pollutant. (See "heavy metals.") It is used for making steel, dyes and pigments, chrome plating, leather tanning, and wood preservation.
	Contaminant	Definition: Any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in air, water, or soil that can have adverse health effects.
	Cotinine	Definition: A major metabolite of nicotine found in blood and urine. Currently regarded as the best biomarker for exposure of nonsmokers to environmental tobacco smoke.
	Criteria Pollutant	Definition: One of the six pollutants for which EPA is required to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards to protect human health and welfare. Criteria pollutants include ozone (ground-level), carbon monoxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, lead, and nitrogen oxides. They are called "criteria" pollutants because the Clean Air Act required EPA to describe the criteria for setting or revising standards.
	Deciliter	Definition: One-tenth of a liter (0.1 liter).
	Diesel	Definition: A petroleum-based fuel. Diesel exhaust is an important source of particulates and other pollutants that adversely affect human health.
	Dioxins	Definition: A group of harmful chemical compounds that are released into the air from combustion processes such as commercial or municipal waste incineration and from burning fuels such as wood, coal, or oil.
	Disinfection Byproducts	Definition: Organic and inorganic compounds that often result from the reaction between a disinfectant and naturally occurring materials in water; chloroform is a commonly found example.
	Down Syndrome	Definition: A genetic condition usually caused by having an extra copy of the 21st chromosome.
	Environmental Tobacco Smoke	Definition: Mixture of smoke exhaled by a smoker and the smoke from the burning end of the smoker's cigarette, pipe, or cigar. Also known as secondhand smoke. Environmental tobacco smoke is an important indoor air pollutant.
	Epidemiological Studies	Definition: Studies that research the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population.
	Ewing's Sarcoma	Definition: A type of bone cancer that usually forms in the middle (shaft) of large bones.
	Exacerbation of Asthma	Definition: Increase in the frequency or severity of asthma attacks or symptoms in individuals who have asthma.
	Exposure	Definition: Human contact with environmental contaminants in media including air, water, soil, and food.
	Formaldehyde	Definition: A colorless, pungent-smelling gas; an important hazardous air pollutant. High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. Sources include environmental tobacco smoke and other combustion sources; pressed wood products (such as particle board); and certain textiles, foams, and glues.
	µg/dL	Definition: Microgram per deciliter.
	Gastrointestinal	Definition: Relating to, affecting, or including the stomach and/or intestine.
	Germ Cell Tumor	Definition: A type of tumor found in the ovaries or testicles.
	Gonadal Tumor	Definition: Tumor specific to the gonads.
	Ground Level Ozone	Definition: Ground-level ozone (smog) is formed by a chemical reaction between volatile organic pollutants (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOₓ) in the presence of sunlight. Ozone concentrations can reach unhealthy levels when the weather is hot and sunny with little or no wind. Ozone at the ground level causes adverse effects on lung function and other adverse respiratory effects. It is one of the six "criteria" pollutants for which EPA has adopted National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
	Hazardous Air Pollutants	Definition: Air pollutants identified in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 as reasonably expected to cause or contribute to irreversible illness or death. Such pollutants include asbestos, beryllium, mercury, benzene, coke oven emissions, radionuclides, and vinyl chloride. A total of 188 hazardous air pollutants are listed in section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990. There are no ambient air quality standards for these pollutants.
	Heavy Metals	Definition: Metallic elements with high atomic weights, e.g., mercury, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, and lead; can damage living things at low concentrations.
	Hodgkin's Lymphoma	Definition: A cancer of the lymphatic system that is characterized by enlargement of lymph nodes, the spleen, or other lymphatic tissue.
	Hypospadias	Definition: A birth defect found in boys in which the urinary tract opening is not located properly at the tip of the penis.
	Immunodeficiency	Definition: A disorder in which the immune system is reduced or absent.
	Ionizing Radiation	Definition: Radiation that can strip electrons from atoms, i.e., alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. High doses can causes massive tissue damage; lower doses can lead to cancer and harmful genetic mutations.
	Leukemia	Definition: A cancer in which the body produces a large number of abnormal blood cells.
	Lymphocytic Leukemia	Definition: The most common form of childhood leukemia, also known as lymphoblastic leukemia. In this disease, the bone marrow produces large quantities of immature lymphocytes (white blood cells).
	Lymphoma	Definition: Lymphomas are tumors in the lymph system, which is responsible for fighting diseases in the body and is part of the immune system.
	Maximum Contaminant Level	Definition: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water as delineated by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. These levels are based on consideration of health risks, technical feasibility of treatment, and cost-benefit analysis. Acronym: MCL
	Media	Definition: Specific environments such as air, water, food, and soil.
	Mercury	Definition: A heavy metal that is highly toxic if breathed or swallowed. The organic form of mercury, methylmercury, bioaccumulates in ecosystems and can cause adverse effects on children exposed before birth or adults at higher concentrations. The largest human-generated source of mercury emissions in the United States is the burning of coal. Other sources include the combustion of waste and industrial processes that use mercury.
	Methemoglobinemia	Definition: A condition that reduces the ability of the blood to transport oxygen throughout the body for essential metabolism; it is due to the replacement of hemoglobin with methemoglobin in the blood. A small amount of methemoglobin is present in the blood normally, but injury or toxic agents-such as nitrites-convert a larger proportion of hemoglobin into methemoglobin.
	Methylmercury	Definition: An organic form of mercury, created from metallic or elemental mercury by bacteria in sediments. Methylmercury is easily absorbed into the living tissue of aquatic organisms and is not easily eliminated. Therefore, it accumulates in organisms at the top of food chains such as tuna or humans. It can cause adverse effects in children exposed before or after birth.
	Microbes	Definition: See Microorganisms Preferred Term: Microorganisms
	Microgram	Definition: One-millionth of a gram. Acronym: µg
	Microorganisms	Definition: Tiny living organisms that can be seen only with the aid of a microscope. Some microorganisms can cause acute health problems when consumed in drinking water.
	Monitoring and Reporting Violation	Definition: Violation of monitoring and reporting requirements that specify how and when water must be tested for the presence of contaminants as defined by the Safe Drinking Water Act.
	Mortality	Definition: The number of deaths in a population, or death rate.
	Myeloid Leukemia	Definition: One form of cancer of the blood-forming tissue, primarily the bone marrow and lymph nodes.
	National Ambient Air Quality Standards	Definition: Standards established by EPA for maximum allowable concentrations of six "criteria" pollutants in outdoor air. The six pollutants are carbon monoxide, lead, ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. The standards are set at a level that protects public health with an adequate margin of safety. Acronym: NAAQS
	National Priorities List	Definition: List of sites under EPA's Superfund program, which investigates and cleans up hazardous sites nationwide. Sites on the National Priorities List have undergone preliminary assessment and site inspection and have been determined to require remediation due to potential threats to persons living or working near the site.
	Neuroblastomas	Definition: Cancer that arises in immature nerve cells and affects mostly infants and children.
	Nitrates and Nitrites	Definition: Nitrogen-oxygen chemical units that combine with various organic and inorganic compounds. Once taken into the body, nitrates are converted into nitrites. The greatest use of nitrates is as a fertilizer. Other sources include animal manure and human sewage.
	Nitrogen Dioxide	Definition: A chemical that results from nitric oxide combining with oxygen in the atmosphere; a major component of photochemical smog. One of the six "criteria" pollutants for which EPA has set national ambient air quality standards. Acronym: NO₂
	Nitrogen Oxides	Definition: A family of highly reactive gases (including nitrogen dioxide, above) that form when fuel is burned at high temperatures. Emitted principally from motor vehicle exhaust and stationary sources such as electric power plants and industrial boilers. Acronym: NOₓ
	Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma	Definition: A group of cancers of the lymphoid system.
	Oral Cleft Defects	Definition: An abnormal opening in a structure around the mouth and face. Clefts may occur in the lip, the roof of the mouth (hard palate), or the tissue in the back of the mouth (soft palate).
	Organophosphate Pesticides	Definition: A group of approximately 40 closely related pesticides that affect functioning of the nervous system. Examples include chlorpyrifos, phosmet, and methyl parathion.
	Ozone	Definition: A gas that results from complex chemical reactions between nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds; the major component of smog. Ozone at the ground level is one of the six "criteria" pollutants for which EPA has established national ambient air quality standards.
	Particulate Matter	Definition: Particles in the air, such as dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and droplets. Small particles (PM-10 or PM-2.5) have significant effects on human health. Particulate matter is one of the six "criteria" pollutants for which EPA has established national ambient air quality standards.
	Plasticizers	Definition: Small, often volatile molecules that are added to hard, stiff plastics to make them softer and more flexible.
	Polychlorinated Biphenyls	Definition: A group of toxic, persistent chemicals used in electrical transformers and capacitors for insulating purposes, and in gas pipeline systems as a lubricant. The sale and new use of PCBs were banned by law in 1979 although large reservoirs of PCBs remain in the environment. Acronym: PCBs
	Poverty Level	Definition: An income level below which an individual or family is considered poor. The U.S. Census Bureau defines poverty level based on a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition. If a family's total income is less than that family's threshold, then that family, and every individual in it, is considered poor. The Census Bureau updates its poverty thresholds annually. In 2000, a family of two adults and two children with total income below $17,463 was considered below the poverty level. Tables showing the Census Bureau's poverty thresholds are available at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/cps-pov.html.
	Prenatal	Definition: Occurring, existing, or performed before birth.
	Radionuclides	Definition: Radioactive isotopes or unstable forms of elements.
	Reference Dose	Definition: Oral reference dose. EPA defines a reference dose as an estimate, with uncertainty spanning perhaps an order of magnitude, of a daily oral exposure to the human population (including sensitive subgroups) that is likely to be without an appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime. Acronym: RfD
	Respiratory Effects	Definition: Effects on the process of breathing or on the lungs.
	Respiratory Mortality	Definition: Death or the death rate due to respiratory illness.
	Retinoblastomas	Definition: Tumors of the eye.
	Secondhand Smoke	Definition: See Environmental Tobacco Smoke Preferred Term: Environmental Tobacco Smoke
	Smog	Definition: See Ground Level Ozone. Preferred Term: Ground Level Ozone
	Solvents	Definition: Substances used to dissolve another substance. Some commonly used solvents, such as TCE, are important environmental contaminants.
	Sudden Infant Death Syndrome	Definition: The sudden and unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant, without an apparent cause. Acronym: SIDS
	Sulfur Dioxide	Definition: A pungent, colorless, gaseous pollutant formed primarily by the combustion of fossil fuels. One of the six "criteria" pollutants for which EPA has set national ambient air quality standards. Acronym: SO₂
	Superfund	Definition: An EPA program to remediate sites contaminated by release of hazardous substances. Activities include establishing a National Priorities List, investigating sites for inclusion on the list, determining their priority, and conducting and/or supervising cleanup and other remedial actions. Superfund is operated under the legislative authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). Some remedial actions are funded directly by Superfund, through a tax on chemical feedstocks, but the majority are paid for by parties that are liable for the release of the hazardous substances.
	Trichloroethylene	Definition: A stable, low boiling-point colorless liquid, toxic if inhaled. Used as a solvent or metal degreasing agent, and in other industrial applications. Acronym: TCE
	Trisomy 21	Definition: See Down Syndrome. Preferred Term: Down Syndrome
	Volatile Organic Pollutants	Definition: Carbon-containing compounds that easily go from a solid to a gaseous form at normal temperatures. Sources include household products such as paints, paint strippers, and other solvents; wood preservatives; aerosol sprays; cleansers and disinfectants; moth repellents and air fresheners; stored fuels and automotive products; hobby supplies; dry-cleaned clothing. Acronym: VOCs
	Wilms' Tumor	Definition: A kidney cancer that occurs in children usually younger than 5 years.

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