Term	Definition
ACUTE	a single or short-term exposure; used to describe brief exposures and effects which appear promptly after exposure
ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECT	a change in body function or cell structure that might lead to disease or health problems
ASBESTOS	a group of fibrous minerals that have been mined and used extensively over the last century. Their tremendous strength and extreme resistance to heat and chemicals have made them ideal for use in a wide variety of commercial products.
BACKGROUND LEVEL	normal environmental concentration of a chemical
BIOACCUMULATION	the absorption, via breathing, eating, drinking or active uptake, and concentration of a substance in plants or animals
CANCER	disease characterized by the rapid and uncontrolled growth of aberrant cells into malignant tumors
CANCER CLUSTER	a term used to describe any increase in the number of cancer cases over what would be expected in a particular area during a specific period of time
CARCINOGEN	a substance that causes cancer
CHRONIC	occurring over a long period of time, either continuously or intermittently, used to describe ongoing exposures and effects that develop only after a long exposure
CONCENTRATION	the amount of chemical in the body compared with the body size
CONFOUNDING FACTORS	are variables other than those being tested which can affect the incidence or degree of a parameter being measured
CONTAMINANT	a substance that is present in an environment where it does not belong or is present at levels that might cause adverse health effects
CONTROL GROUP	a group of experimental subjects which are not exposed to a chemical or treatment being investigated so that they can be compared to experimental groups which are exposed to the chemical or treatment
CUMULATIVE EXPOSURE	the summation of exposures of an organism to a chemical over a period of time
DEGRADATION	a chemical alteration to a pesticide; chemical or biological breakdown of a complex compound into simpler compounds
DERMAL	of the skin: through or by the skin
DOSE	the amount of the chemical that gets into an organism
DOSE RESPONSE	a quantitative relationship between the dose of a chemical and the degree and/or severity of an effect caused by the chemical
EPA	United States Environmental Protection Agency
EPIDEMIOLOGY	the study of the distribution and causes of disease in human population. The three main goals of epidemiology are to describe disease patterns in human populations, identify the causes of diseases, and provide data essential for the management, evaluation and planning of services for the prevention, control and treatment of disease.
EXPOSURE	contact with a substance by swallowing, breathing, or touching the skin or eyes [see Routes of Exposure]. Exposure may be short-term [acute exposure] or long-term [chronic exposure].
EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT	the process of finding out how people come into contact with a hazardous substance, including how much, how often, and for how long they are in contact with the substance.
GROUNDWATER	water which is located in zones below the soil surface. Wells and springs can be fed by groundwater
HAZARD	the potential that the use of a compound could result in a toxic effect
HEALTH INVESTIGATION	the collection and evaluation of information about the health of community residents. This information is used to describe or count the occurrence of a disease, symptom, or clinical measure and to evaluate the possible association between the occurrence and exposure to hazardous substances.
INCIDENCE	the number of new cases of a disease that occur in a defined population during a specified period of time
INORGANIC	substances or compounds that do not contain carbon and are generally not derived from plants and animals, such as minerals, salts, and metals
LEAD (PB)	a heavy metal that is hazardous to health if breathed or swallowed
MERCURY (HG)	a heavy metal that can accumulate in the environment and is highly toxic if breathed or swallowed
MOLDS	a group of plant-like organisms (a type of fungus) that require only moisture and a nutrient source to grow
ORGANIC	carbon containing compounds including those existing in or derived from plants and animals, also including man-made carbon based compounds
PARTS PER BILLION (PPB)	Parts per billion is a measure of the concentration of a compound. 1 ppb is equal to one microgram per kilogram. An example of this would be one ppb is equal to one second in thirty-two years
PARTS PER MILLION (PPM)	Parts per million is a measure of concentration of a compound. 1 ppm is equal to one mg per kg. An example of this would be one ppm is equal to one minute in two years
PESTICIDE	a substance or mixture of substances used to prevent, destroy, or repel a pest
PREVALENCE	the number of existing disease cases in a defined population during a specified period of time
RADON	a colorless, naturally-occurring gas that is produced by the decay of uranium, an element almost universally present in soil and rock
REFERENCE DOSE (RFD)	a level of exposure that is considered acceptable or safe. Also known as the "acceptable daily intake"
RESPONSE	the beneficial and harmful effects of a chemical
RISK	the probability that something will cause injury or harm
RISK ASSESSMENT	the evaluation of possible adverse health effects (risks) and benefits resulting from human exposure to a certain substance
RISK COMMUNICATION	the exchange of information regarding possible adverse health effects (risks) and environmental concerns between public health officials and the public, media, elected officials, and other interest groups.
RISK FACTOR	human characteristics or external variables associated with increased probability of an adverse health effect
RISK REDUCTION	actions that can decrease the likelihood that individuals, groups, or communities will experience disease or other health conditions
ROUTES OF EXPOSURE	the ways that a toxin can enter the body. Three main routes of exposure are: inhalation (by breathing), dermal absorption (through the skin), and ingestion (by being swallowed). Toxins may have serious effects by one route, and minimal effects by another.
TERATOGEN	a substance that causes a structural or functional birth defect
TOXIC AGENTS (TOXINS)	chemical, biological or physical agents, that under certain circumstances of exposure, can cause harmful effects to living organisms. Some examples of biological agents are mold, mushrooms, poisonous plants, and reptiles; chemical agents are arsenic, asbestos, benzene, cyanide, lead, and mercury; physical agents are cold, heat, microwaves, and radiation.
TOXICOLOGY	the study of the harmful effects of substances on humans or animals
VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS)	organic compounds that evaporate readily into the air