Overview

Anyone who believes that exponential growth in a finite world can go on forever is either a madman or an economist .

Kenneth Boulding (Economist)

5.1 Glossary/Terminology

Absorption

It involves the dissolution (partitioning) of a contaminant from one phase into another without chemical reaction, e.g. absorption of oxygen gas in water or the absorption of DDT in hexane, an organic solvent.

Acidity, water.

All waters natural, domestic wastewater, and also frequently, industrial wastewater with pH less than 8.5 contain acidity. Acidity in natural waters is caused mainly by dissolved carbon dioxide that produces a weak acid, carbonic acid. Natural waters are buffered by a CO ₂ bicarbonate system. See Carbon dioxide.

Activated diffusion

The process by which a penetrant molecule moves through a membrane from one transient vacancy to another with an energy interaction between the penetrant and the membrane.

Adsorption.

The process by which ions or molecules present in one phase condense and concentrate on the surface of another phase (surface phenomena), e.g. adhesion of the molecules of gases, dissolved substances, or liquids to the surfaces of solids or liquids with which they are in contact. There are three general types of adsorption: physical (activated carbon), chemical, and exchange (ion exchange).

Aeration

Operation by which air is introduced into water and/or to release dissolved gases from water.

Agglomerate

To gather fine particulate matter together into a larger mass.

Alkalinity

It is a measure of the buffer capacity to resist drop in pH when acid is...