| Fixed suspended solids | (Environmental Engineering) (FSS) is the matter remaining from the suspended solids analysis which will not burn at 550°C. It represents the non-filterable inorganic residue in a sample. |
| Gas stripping | (Environmental Engineering) Gas transfer of an undesirable gas from a water stream to the atmosphere. |
| Global warming | (Environmental Engineering) The long-term warming of the plant due to increases in greenhouse gases which trap reflected light preventing it from exiting to space. |
| Greenhouse gases | (Environmental Engineering) Gases which trap solar radiation. Of the solar energy entering the earth's atmosphere a portion is reflected back and a portion penetrates onto the earth's surface. The portion reflected back from the earth's surface is at a different wavelength that when it entered. Carbon dioxide and other gases, which pass solar radiation, absorb this reflected radiation, increasing the earth's temperature. This is much like a greenhouse, hence the name. |
| Heterotrophic | (Environmental Engineering) A group of organisms which obtain carbon for synthesis from other organic matter or proteins. |
| Hydrocarbon | (Environmental Engineering) Any organic compound composed entirely of carbon and hydrogen. Two examples are methane gas and octane. |
| Infectious disease | (Environmental Engineering) A disease caused by pathogenic organisms. |
| 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. |