Acid Mine Drainage
Acidic water that drains from mining areas
(mostly coal but also metal mines).
Advanced Wastewater Treatment
Treatment of wastewater beyond primary and
secondary procedures.
Bioengineering
A surface-water cleanup technique that uses
plants, soil, and engineered landscape
(especially urban lands) to minimize water
pollution.
Biological or Biochemical Oxygen Demand
(BOD)
A measure of the amount of oxygen necessary
to decompose organic material in a unit volume
of water.
Bioremediation
A method of treating groundwater pollution
problems that utilizes microorganisms in the
ground to consume or break down pollutants.
Cultural Eutrophication
Human-induced eutrophication that involves
nutrients such as nitrates or phosphates that
cause a rapid increase in the rate of plant
growth in ponds, lakes, rivers, or the ocean.
Ecosystem Effect
Effects that result from interactions among
different species, effects of species on
chemical elements in their environment, and
conditions of the environment.
Environmental Law
A field of law concerning the conservation and
use of natural resources and the control of
pollution.
Eutrophication
Increase in the concentration of chemical
elements required for living things.
Fecal Coliform Bacteria
Bacteria that occur naturally in human
intestines and are used as a standard measure
of microbial pollution and an indicator of
disease potential for a water source.
Nanotechnology
A surface-water cleanup technique that uses
extremely small material particles (10-9m size,
about 100,000 times thinner than human hair)
designed for several purposes.
Nonpoint Sources
Pollution sources that are diffused and
intermittent and are influenced by factors such
as land use, climate, hydrology, topography,
native vegetation, and geology.
Outbreaks
Sudden occurrences of waterborne disease.
Point Sources
Sources of pollution such as smokestacks,
pipes, or accidental spills that are readily
identified and stationary.
Primary Treatment
Removal of large particles and organic
materials from wastewater through screening.
Secondary Treatment
Use of biological processes to degrade
wastewater in a treatment facility.
Wastewater Treatment
The process of treating wastewater (primarily
sewage) in specially designed plants that
accept municipal wastewater.
Water Reuse
The use of wastewater following some sort of
treatment.