| Irreversible reaction | (Environmental Engineering) A reaction in which the reactant(s) proceed to product(s), but the products react at an appreciable rate to reform reactant(s). |
| Isomers | (Environmental Engineering) Two or more different compounds with the same chemical formula but different structure and characteristics. |
| Kerogen | (Environmental Engineering) A fossilized organic material present in oil shale and some other sedimentary rocks. |
| Ketones | (Environmental Engineering) Organic compounds with two hydrocarbon groups bonded to a carbonyl group. |
| Landfill | (Environmental Engineering) A legal and controlled area for the placement of wastes into the ground. |
| Landfilling | (Environmental Engineering) The placement of wastes into the land under controlled conditions to minimize their migration or effect on the surrounding environment. |
| Ligand | (Environmental Engineering) The ion or molecule which surrounds or complexes with the central atom or ion. |
| Limnology | (Environmental Engineering) The study of freshwater ecosystems. |
| Mass balance | (Environmental Engineering) An organized accounting of all inputs and outputs to an arbitrary but defined system. Stated in other terms, the rate of mass accumulation within a system is equal to the rate of mass input less the rate of mass output plus the rate of mass generation within the system. |
| Maximum contaminant level (MCL) | (Environmental Engineering) The maximum allowable concentration of a given constituent in potable water. |