Laboratory Terms

A glossary of science, chemistry, environmental and laboratory terms.

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Identification Code or EPA ID Number: The unique code assigned to each generator, transporter, and treatment, stora...
Ignitable: Capable of burning or causing a fire.
IM240: A high-tech, transient dynamometer automobile emissions test that takes up to...
Imhoff Cone: A clear, cone-shaped container used to measure the volume of settleable solid...
Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health IDLH: The maximum level to which a healthy individual can be exposed to a chemical ...
Imminent Hazard: One that would likely result in unreasonable adverse effects on humans or the...
Imminent Threat: A high probability that exposure is occurring.
Immiscibility: The inability of two or more substances or liquids to readily dissolve into o...
Impermeable: Not easily penetrated. The property of a material or soil that does not allow...
Imports: Municipal solid waste and recyclables that have been transported to a state o...
Impoundment: A body of water or sludge confined by a dam, dike, floodgate, or other barrier.
In Situ: In its original place; unmoved unexcavated; remaining at the site or in the s...
In Vitro: Testing or action outside an organism (e.g. inside a test tube or culture dish.)
In Vivo: Testing or action inside an organism.
In-Line Filtration: Pre-treattment method in which chemicals are mixed by the flowing water; comm...
In-Situ Flushing: Introduction of large volumes of water, at times supplemented with cleaning c...
In-Situ Oxidation: Technology that oxidizes contaminants dissolved in ground water, converting t...
In-Situ Stripping: Treatment system that removes or "strips" volatile organic compounds from con...
In-Situ Vitrification: Technology that treats contaminated soil in place at extremely high temperatu...
Incident Command Post: A facility located at a safe distance from an emergency site, where the incid...
Incident Command System ICS: The organizational arrangement wherein one person, normally the Fire Chief of...
Incineration: A treatment technology involving destruction of waste by controlled burning a...
Incineration at Sea: Disposal of waste by burning at sea on specially-designed incinerator ships.
Incinerator: A furnace for burning waste under controlled conditions.
Incompatible Waste: A waste unsuitable for mixing with another waste or material because it may r...
Indemnification: In the pesticide program, legal requirement that EPA pay certain end-users, d...
Indicator: In biology, any biological entity or processes, or community whose characteri...
Indirect Discharge: Introduction of pollutants from a non-domestic source into a publicly owned w...
Indirect Source: Any facility or building, property, road or parking area that attracts motor ...
Indoor Air: The breathable air inside a habitable structure or conveyance.
Indoor Air Pollution: Chemical, physical, or biological contaminants in indoor air.
Indoor Climate: Temperature, humidity, lighting, air flow and noise levels in a habitable str...
Industrial Pollution Prevention: Combination of industrial source reduction and toxic chemical use substitution.
Industrial Process Waste: Residues produced during manufacturing operations.
Industrial Sludge: Semi-liquid residue or slurry remaining from treatment of industrial water an...
Industrial Source Reduction: Practices that reduce the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or co...
Industrial Waste: Unwanted materials from an industrial operation; may be liquid, sludge, solid...
Inert Ingredient: Pesticide components such as solvents, carriers, dispersants, and surfactants...
Inertial Separator: A device that uses centrifugal force to separate waste particles.
Infectious Agent: Any organism, such as a pathogenic virus, parasite, or or bacterium, that is ...
Infectious Waste: Hazardous waste capable of causing infections in humans, including
Infiltration: 1. The penetration of water through the ground surface into sub-surface soil ...
Infiltration Gallery: A sub-surface groundwater collection system, typically shallow in depth, cons...
Infiltration Rate: The quantity of water that can enter the soil in a specified time interval.
Inflow: Entry of extraneous rain water into a sewer system from sources other than in...
Influent: Water, wastewater, or other liquid flowing into a reservoir, basin, or treatm...
Information Collection Request ICR: A description of information to be gathered in connection with rules, propose...
Information File: In the Superfund program, a file that contains accurate, up-to-date documents...
Inhalable Particles: All dust capable of entering the human respiratory tract.
Initial Compliance Period: The first full three-year compliance period which begins at least 18 months a...
Injection Well: A well into which fluids are injected for purposes such as waste disposal, im...
Injection Zone: A geological formation receiving fluids through a well.
Innovative Technologies: New or inventive methods to treat effectively hazardous waste and reduce risk...
Innovative Treatment Technologies: Technologies whose routine use is inhibited by lack of data on performance an...
Inoculum: 1. Bacteria or fungi injected into compost to start biological action. 2. A m...
Inorganic Chemicals: Chemical substances of mineral origin, not of basically carbon structure.
Insecticide: A pesticide compound specifically used to kill or prevent the growth of insects.
Inspection and Maintenance: 1. Activities to ensure that vehicles' emission controls work properly. 2. Al...
Institutional Waste: Waste generated at institutions such as schools, libraries, hospitals, prison...
Instream Use: Water use taking place within a stream channel; e.g., hydro-electric power ge...
Integrated Exposure Assessment: Cumulative summation (over time) of the magnitude of exposure to a toxic chem...
Integrated Pest Management IPM: A mixture of chemical and other, non-pesticide, methods to control pests.
Integrated Waste Management: Using a variety of practices to handle municipal solid waste; can include sou...
Interceptor Sewers: Large sewer lines that, in a combined system, control the flow of sewage to t...
Interface: The common boundary between two substances such as a water and a solid, water...
Interfacial Tension: The strength of the film separating two immiscible fluids (e.g. oil and water...
Internal Dose: In exposure assessment, the amount of a substance penetrating the absorption ...
Interstate Carrier Water Supply: A source of water for drinking and sanitary use on planes, buses, trains, and...
Interstate Commerce Clause: A clause of the U.S. Constitution which reserves to the federal government th...
Interstate Waters: Waters that flow across or form part of state or international boundaries; e....
Interstitial Monitoring: The continuous surveillance of the space between the walls of an underground ...
Intrastate Product: Pesticide products once registered by states for sale and use only in the sta...
Inventory TSCA: Inventory of chemicals produced pursuant to Section 8 (b) of the Toxic Substa...
Inversion: A layer of warm air that prevents the rise of cooling air and traps pollutant...
Ion: An electrically charged atom or group of atoms.
Ion Exchange Treatment: A common water-softening method often found on a large scale at water purific...
Ionization Chamber: A device that measures the intensity of ionizing radiation.
Ionizing Radiation: Radiation that can strip electrons from atoms; e.g. alpha, beta, and gamma ra...
IRIS: EPA's Integrated Risk Information System, an electronic data base containing ...
Irradiated Food: Food subject to brief radioactivity, usually gamma rays, to kill insects, bac...
Irradiation: Exposure to radiation of wavelengths shorter than those of visible light (gam...
Irreversible Effect: Effect characterized by the inability of the body to partially or fully repai...
Irrigation: Applying water or wastewater to land areas to supply the water and nutrient n...
Irrigation Efficiency: The amount of water stored in the crop root zone compared to the amount of ir...
Irrigation Return Flow: Surface and subsurface water which leaves the field following application of ...
Irritant: A substance that can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, or respiratory syste...
Isoconcentration: More than one sample point exhibiting the same isolate concentration.
Isopleth: The line or area represented by an isoconcentration.
Isotope: A variation of an element that has the same atomic number of protons but a di...
Isotope Dilution: Isotopic dilution is a technique to increase the precision and accuracy of ch...
Isotropy: The condition in which the hydraulic or other properties of an aquifer are th...

Analytical testing dots

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