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National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
NIOSH, part of the Centers for Disease Control, conducts research on worker safety and health and recommends standards for worker protection to OSHA. For example, NIOSH recommends guidelines for workplace exposure to hazardous substances and has published criteria documents on many chemicals.
AHERA
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (1986); federal law requiring LEAs to identify asbestos hazards and develop abatement plans.
Solubility
The largest amount of a substance that can be dissolved in a given amount of a liquid, usually water. For a highly water-soluble compound, such as table salt, a lot can dissolve in water. Motor oil is only slightly soluble in water.
Gradient
The change in a property over a certain distance. For example, lead can accumulate in surface soil near a road due to automobile exhaust. As you move away from the road, the amount of lead in the surface soil decreases. This change in the lead concentration with distance from the road is called a gradient.
ADI
Acceptable Daily Intake
Odor threshold
The lowest concentration of a chemical that can be smelled. Different chemicals have different odor thresholds. Also, some people can smell a chemical at lower concentrations than others can.
HMIS
The hazardous materials identification system, developed by NPCA to provide information on the acute health hazards, reactivity, and flammability encountered in the workplace at room temperatures.
Analyte
A chemical for which a sample (such as water, air, blood, urine or other substance) is tested. For example, if the analyte is mercury, the laboratory test will determine the amount of mercury in the sample.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
The highest (maximum) level of a contaminant allowed to go uncorrected by a public water system under federal or state regulations. Depending on the contaminant, allowable levels might be calculated as an average over time, or might be based on individual test results.
Remediation
Correction or improvement of a problem, such as work that is done to clean up or stop the release of chemicals from a contaminated site. After investigation of a site, remedial work may include removing soil and/or drums, capping the site or collecting and treating the contaminated fluids.
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