DDT

DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is a colorless, crystalline, tasteless and

almost odorless organochloride known for its insecticidal properties. DDT has been
formulated in almost every conceivable form, including solutions in xylene or
petroleum distillates, emulsifiable concentrates, water-wettable powders,
granules, aerosols, smoke candles and charges for vaporizers and lotions.
PCB
A polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB; CAS number 1336-36-3 ) is a synthetic organic
chemical compound of chlorine attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed
of two benzene rings. There are 209 configurations of organochlorides with 1 to 10
chlorine atoms. The chemical formula for a PCB is C12H10xClx. 130 of the different
PCB arrangements and orientations are used commercially. [1]
BOD
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by
aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic material
present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a specific time period.
The term also refers to a chemical procedure for determining this amount. This is
not a precise quantitative test, although it is widely used as an indication of the
organic quality of water.[1] The BOD value is most commonly expressed in milligrams
of oxygen consumed per litre of sample during 5 days of incubation at 20 C and is
often used as a robust surrogate of the degree of organic pollution of water.
H2O
The formula H20 tells us that one molecule of water is comprised of 2 atoms of
hydrogen and one atom of oxygen bonded together. The bonds which hold the
hydrogen and oxygen together are called covalent bonds - they are very strong.
CO
CO is the molecular formula for carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a toxic
gas, and continuous exposure to high concentrations of carbon monoxide can be
fatal to both humans and animals.
EPA
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA or also icosapentaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty
acid. In physiological literature, it is given the name 20:5(n-3). It also has the trivial
name timnodonic acid. In chemical structure, EPA is a carboxylic acid with a 20carbon chain and fivecis double bonds; the first double bond is located at the third
carbon from the omega end.

EPA is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)

for prostaglandin-3 (which
inhibits platelet
and leukotriene-5 eicosanoids.

that acts as a precursor

aggregation),thromboxane-3,

CO2
Carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO2) is a colorless, odorless gas vital to life on
Earth. This naturally occurring chemical compound is composed of a carbon atom
covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms.
Hg
Mercury is a chemical element with symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is
commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum(/ha
drrdrm/).[3] A heavy, silvery d-block element, mercury is the only metallic
element that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure; the only
other element that is liquid under these conditions is bromine, though metals such
as caesium, gallium, and rubidium melt just above room temperature.
CH4
In chemistry, CH4 is the chemical formula for methane. This molecule contains one
carbon atom covalently bonded to four hydrogen atoms. Methane is the simplest
alkane, a class of hydrocarbons that contain only carbon and hydrogen atoms with
single bonds.
CERCLA
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980 (CERCLA), is the main federal law of the United States that addresses the
clean up of hazardous substances. The law was amended several times enlarged by
the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. It is known more generally as
the Superfund program.
CERCLA provides the process for identifying liability for contaminated property. The
law employs the principles of "strict liability" and "joint and several liability" to
identify responsible parties (RPs). Strict liability assigns liability without necessarily
finding fault. Under this concept a landowner is deemed responsible for
contamination found on his property without regard for any fault; simply being in
the chain of title is sufficient basis for being held responsible. Joint and several
liability holds that once a party is found to be responsible for even a portion of the
contamination they can be held liable for the entire cost of a clean up without
regard for the portion of contamination they might have caused. Property owners
were provided several defenses against the cleanup liability. The Courts have
allowed a "de minimis defense" for RPs found to have contributed only nominally to

the contamination but the most common defense is the "innocent landowner
defense".

SNOW
Snow is precipitation in the form of flakes of crystalline water ice that falls
from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material.
It has an open and therefore soft, white, and fluffy structure, unless subjected to
external pressure. Snowflakes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Types that fall
in the form of a ball due to melting and refreezing, rather than a flake, are hail, ice
pellets or snow grains.
FOG
Fog is a collection of liquid water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or
near the Earth's surface. Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud, and is
heavily influenced by nearby bodies of water, topography, wind conditions, and
even human activities.
GEOCHEMISTRY
Geochemistry is the science that uses the tools and principles of chemistry to
explain the mechanisms behind major geological systems such as the Earth's crust
and its oceans.
WATER
Water (chemical formula: H2O) is a transparent fluid which forms the world's
streams, lakes, oceans and rain, and is the major constituent of the fluids of
organisms. As a chemical compound, a water molecule contains one oxygen and
two hydrogen atoms that
are
connected
by covalent
bonds.
Water
is
a liquid atstandard ambient temperature and pressure, but it often co-exists
on Earth with its solid state, ice; and gaseous state, steam (water vapor). It also
exists as snow,fog, dew and cloud.
POLLUTION
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that
cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or

energy, such as noise, heat or light. Pollutants, the components of pollution, can
be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring contaminants.
CHLORINATION
Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine (Cl2) or hypochlorite to water. This
method is used to kill certain bacteria and other microbes in tap water as chlorine is
highly toxic. In particular, chlorination is used to prevent the spread of waterborne
diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid etc.
POLLUTANT
A pollutant is a substance or energy introduced into the environment that has
undesired effects, or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource.
TROPOSPHERE
The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere and site of all weather
on Earth. The troposphere is bonded on the top by a layer of air called the
tropopause, which separates the troposphere from the stratosphere, and on
bottom by the surface of the Earth.
ENTERIC FERMENTATION
Enteric fermentation is a digestive process by which carbohydrates are broken
down by microorganisms into simple molecules for absorption into the bloodstream
of an animal. It is one of the factors in increased methane emissions. Ruminant
animals are those that have a rumen.
ANAEROBES
An organism that grows without air, or requires oxygen-free conditions to live.