A chemical used to increase the
speed of a chemical reaction in the production of rubber or plastics.
American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygiene.
The onset is acute, but not life
threatening. For chemicals, the length of exposure is less than 24 hours. The
patient is likely to be seen in a clinic or emergency room, but not admitted to
the hospital.
The onset is acute, severe, and
life threatening. For chemicals, the length of exposure is less than 24 hours.
The patient is likely to be admitted to the hospital.
Small particles, usually in the
range of 0.01 to 100 micrometers, dispersed in air; includes liquid (mist) and
solid particles (dust).
American Industrial Hygiene
Association.
Tiny sacs at the ends of
bronchioles in the lungs; oxygen and carbon dioxide gas exchange takes place
here with red blood cells in adjacent capillaries.
anemia
Decreased hemoglobin or number of
red blood cells.
anesthesia
Temporary loss of consciousness
induced by high concentrations of organic solvents.
antibiotic
A drug used in medicine to inhibit or kill microorganisms.
antibody
Proteins produced by the body's
immune system in response to specific antigens.
antigen
A foreign substance that can induce
the body to produce antibodies.
chloracne
A skin disease resembling acne that is caused by exposure to dioxin, pentachlorophenol, PCBs, and other chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds.
chronic syndrome
The onset of symptoms is gradual
over a period longer than 2 months. A chronic syndrome induced by chemicals may
represent 1) A cumulative exposure with a long latency, or 2) Adverse effects
that persist two months or longer after a brief high exposure.
CNS
Central Nervous System.
CNS solvent syndrome
Organic solvents can affect the central nervous system both acutely (increased reaction time and anesthesia) and chronically (permanent brain damage).
confined space
"A space that is large enough
and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform work. Confined
spaces have limited or restricted means for entry or exit and are not designed
for continuous occupancy. Confined spaces include storage tanks, bins, boilers,
ventilation and exhaust ducts, pits, manholes, vats, and reactor vessels."
(DOE OSH Technical Reference, http://tis-hq.eh.doe.gov/docs/osh_tr/ch41.html)
contact dermatitis
Dermatitis caused by contact with
irritating or allergenic chemicals or biological agents.
corrosive
Pertaining to chemicals that can
induce severe burns at the site of contact.
CWP
Coal
Workers’ Pneumoconiosis.
dermatotoxin
A chemical that can cause skin
disease.
dose-response relationship
Relationship between the dose of a
toxic chemical and the incidence of an adverse effect. This is a fundamental
law of toxicology expressed as, "The dose makes the poison." For any
poison, there exists a threshold dose below which adverse effects do not occur.
edema
Increased intercellular fluid in
tissues. In pulmonary edema, there is increased fluid in lung tissues.
EEGL
Emergency Exposure Guidance Level.
(NRC)
elastomer
A plastic or synthetic rubber with
elastic properties at room temperature.
engineering controls
Methods put in place (engineered)
to control the source of worker exposure, e.g., exhaust ventilation systems or
glove-box enclosures.
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency.
half-life
Time required to reduce by one half the amount of a chemical absorbed by the body.
Half-life can be calculated accurately only for those substances eliminated
linearly, independent of concentration. For linearly eliminated substances, it
takes approximately 3.5 half-lives to eliminate 90% of the substance. [LaDou,
p.174]
hard metal disease
Interstitial lung disease caused by
repeated inhalation of cobalt dusts or fume. Exposure may occur during the
manufacturing or use of hard metal tools containing cobalt and tungsten
carbide.
hematotoxin
A chemical that is toxic to blood
or blood-forming tissues.
hemoglobin
Proteins in red blood cells that
carry oxygen.
hepatotoxin
The chemical is toxic to the liver:
1) occupational hepatotoxin (principal effect); 2) secondary hepatotoxin (a)
from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in
humans after ingestion.
High-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT)
An x-ray procedure used to diagnose lung diseases.
histopathological
Pertaining to the microscopic study
of diseased cells and tissues.
hypersensitivity pneumonitis
An interstitial lung disease caused
by repeated inhalation of organic dusts, e.g., Farmer’s lung.
hypoxia
Deficiency of oxygen available to
living tissues.
interstitial pulmonary
fibrosis
Asbestos, coal, and silica dusts
induce scar formation in interstitial lung tissue. The interstitium is the supporting
lung tissue adjacent to pulmonary airways and blood vessels.
isomers
Chemicals with the same composition
and molecular weight but different physical or chemical properties.
LC50
Lethal concentration in 50% of
animals tested.
Lower Explosive Limit (LEL)
Lower Explosive Limit; the minimum
concentration below which combustion will not occur.
Lowest-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level (LOAEL)
"The lowest exposure level of a chemical in a study, or group of studies, that produces statistically or biologically significant increases in frequency or severity of adverse effects between the exposed population and its appropriate control." [ATSDR]
methemoglobinemia
The presence of increased
methemoglobin in the blood; chemicals are classified as either Primary
(Methemoglobinemia is the primary toxic effect.) or Secondary.
mg/m3
Milligrams per cubic meter of air.
mmHg
Millimeters of mercury; at sea
level the earth's atmosphere exerts a pressure of 760 mmHg. 1 mmHg = 1 Torr.
mppcf
Millions of particles per cubic
foot of air.
MSDS
Material Safety Data Sheet.
MSHA
Mine Safety and Health
Administration.
NAERG
North American Emergency Response
Guidebook.
narcosis
Temporary sleepiness induced by
high concentrations of organic solvents.
NFPA
National Fire Protection Agency; see “flammability.”
NIOSH
National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health.
No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level (NOAEL)
"The dose of a chemical at which there were no statistically or biologically significant increases in frequency or severity of adverse effects seen between the exposed population and its appropriate control." [ATSDR]
NRC
National Research Council.
NTP
National Toxicology Program
PEL
Permissible exposure limit. (OSHA)
personal protective equipment
Respirators, gloves, eye
protection, and other equipment used to protect workers from hazards when
engineering controls fail to completely eliminate the potential for exposure.
pesticide
A substance used to kill pests
including: algae (algicide), aphids (aphicide), fungi (fungicide), plants (herbicide),
insects (insecticide), larvae (larvacide), molluscs (molluscicide), eggs
(ovicide), rodents (rodenticide), and slime-producing organisms (slimicide).
photoirritant contact dermatitis (PICD)
A type of irritant contact dermatitis caused by skin contact with an irritant that becomes active only after it absorbs UV light.
pleura
A thin membrane that covers the
lungs (visceral pleura) and thorax adjacent to the lungs (parietal pleura).
pneumoconiosis
Chronic scarring lung disease
caused by the accumulation of asbestos, coal, silica, and other fibrogenic
dusts.
sensitizer
An agent that can induce an
allergic reaction in the skin or lungs.
serum
"Watery proteinaceous portion
of the blood that remains after clotting." [Glossary for Chemists of Terms
Used in Toxicology," http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/Glossary/s.html]
sign
Objective evidence of a disease as
determined by laboratory results, an x-ray finding, or the physician's physical
examination.
