Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Related to
Green Chemistry, Green Cleaning and Community Sustainability

 Aerobic – Requiring oxygen or taking place in the presence of oxygen. In aerobic biodegradation, bacteria use oxygen to break organic chemicals down into smaller molecules while producing carbon dioxide and water.

Alcohol ethoxylate – A type of nonionic surfactant in widespread use. Considered a good candidate for replacing alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) in many applications.

Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE) – A class of nonionic surfactants produced by reacting an alkylphenol with ethylene oxide. Examples include nonylphenol ethoxylates and octylphenol ethoxylates. APEs are widely used in industrial detergents, pesticide formulations and some consumer products.

Anaerobic – Not requiring oxygen or taking place in the absence of oxygen. In anaerobic biodegradation, bacteria break surfactants down into smaller molecules while producing methane as a byproduct.

Anionic – Forming negatively charged ions in solution. Anionic surfactants include alkylbenzene sulfonates and alcohol sulfates.

Baseline – A set of critical observations of data used for comparison or a control.

Benchmarking – A series of quantitative measurements of performance.

Bioaccumulation – Sometimes defined as bioconcentration, but often refers more specifically to a buildup in body contaminants as a result of intake of food or sediments. Bioaccumulation is responsible for the increasingly high body burdens of contaminants in animals as they approach the top of the food chain, such as birds and mammals.

Bioconcentration – The buildup of a chemical in the body of an organism (usually fish) to levels higher than in the medium in which that organism lives (usually water). Measured by the bioconcentration factor (BCF) which is the ratio of the concentration in the animal to that in the medium.

Biodegradability, inherent – The ability of a compound to be broken down by naturally occurring bacteria, but only after a period of acclimation, resulting in a delay in breakdown.

Biodegradability, readily – The ability of a compound to be broken down immediately upon exposure to bacterial derived from the environment, as measured by a readily biodegradability test.

Biodegradation – Biodegradation is the process whereby organic chemicals are broken down into progressively simpler molecules, largely by the action of various bacteria.

Biodegradation, primary – The first step in the breakdown of a surfactant, wherein the compound loses its surfactant properties, but has not completely broken down into the simplest components.

Biodegradation, ultimate – The complete breakdown of a substance into the simplest components, usually carbon dioxide, water, and minerals. Sometimes this is called mineralization.

Buffering – The capacity to maintain hydrogen ion concentration (pH) on addition of acid or alkali.

Carcinogen – Any agent or substance that causes cancer.

CAS – Chemical Abstract Service number assigned to specific chemicals, for example: 2-butoxyethanol {CAS 111-76-2}

Cationic – Forming positively charged ions in solution. Cationic surfactants such as quaternary ammonium chlorides are used primarily as disinfectants and fabric softeners.

Chain-of-Commerce – Manufacturers and suppliers of raw materials; manufacturers, marketers, and distributors of cleaning products (including systems/equipment); building owners and managers; building cleaning contractors; and cleaning personnel.

Chemical Management Concentrates – Products designed for use with dispensing equipment for quick mixing of concentrate and water and accurate dispensing of a ready to use product.

Cleaner/Disinfectant – A product that has received EPA registration based upon claims to effectively clean surfaces while at the same time killing bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms.

Cleaning Products  – Cleaning products as defined in this document refer to products that are used for the routine cleaning of the indoor built environment. They include but are not limited to: glass cleaners, general-purpose cleaners, floor cleaners, laundry detergents, dishwashing detergents, deodorizers, hand soaps, and wax strippers.

Concentrate – A product that is intended to be diluted with water.

Concentrated Form – The product as it is packaged and sold for use.

Corrosive  – “A liquid or solid that causes full thickness destruction of human skin at the site of contact within four hours, or a liquid that has a severe corrosion rate on steel or aluminum” (U.S. Department of Transportation, Performance Oriented Packaging Standard, HM-181).

Delayed effects are those that occur in days or even longer between exposure and onset of adverse effects. Asbestosis from asbestos and liver damage from carbon tetrachloride are examples of delayed effects.

Disinfectant  -- A product that has received EPA registration based upon claims to kill bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms.  For purposes of this standard, the word disinfectant includes “sanitizer”, “disinfectant” and “sterilant”

Dispersion – The disintegration of precipitated substances into fine particles, which are distributed throughout the solution. This process is also known as deflocculation.

Dose-Response Relationship is a fundamental and pervasive concept in toxicology. Dose is the major determinant of toxicity. An understanding of this relationship is essential for an understanding of toxic materials.

Eco-efficiency – the delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life, while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life cycle, to a level at least in line with the Earth’s carrying capacity.

Emulsification – The process of making two immiscible liquids into a heterogeneous mixture.

Endocrine disruptor – A substance that interferes with the normal functioning of the endocrine system. It can do this by acting like a hormone itself, by counteracting the effects of natural hormones, by altering the creation and destruction of natural hormones, or by interfering with hormone receptors.

Endocrine system – A major body regulating system in humans and other vertebrates responsible for growth, sexual development, and reproduction. The endocrine system consists of a variety of organs called endocrine glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. The human endocrine glands include the testicles, ovaries, pancreas, adrenal glands, thyroid, parathyroid and thymus, as well as others.

Ethoxylate – A compound such as an alcohol ethoxylate that results from a reaction with ethylene oxide. Also refers to the reaction process itself.

Ethylene oxide – A highly reactive industrial chemical used in various production processes. An important use is in producing ethoxylated surfactants such as alkylphenol ethoxylates. Ethylene oxide is a suspected carcinogen.

Exposure - is a measure of the contact between a toxicant and a living organism.

Flash Point – Means the minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off a vapor in sufficient concentration to ignite when tested by an approved flash point test.

General Purpose Cleaners – Cleaning products used for routine cleaning of hard surfaces including floors. It does not include any EPA registered sterilizers, disinfectants or sanitizers.

Glass and Surface Cleaners – Cleaning products used to clean windows, glass, mirrors, Plexiglas and similar surfaces. It does not include any EPA registered sterilizers, disinfectants or sanitizers.

Guide – a series of options or instructions that do not recommend a specific course of action.

Hazard – the potential health or physical effect attributable to a specific chemical, mixture or physical agent.

Hydrophilic – Literally meaning is “water loving.” The term refers to water solubility. Surfactants such as nonylphenol ethoxylate have molecules with both a water soluble and water insoluble end.

Hydrophobic – Literally meaning is “water fearing.” The term indicates insolubility in water.

Immediate effects are those that occur within minutes of the exposure. Chemical burns from hydrochloric acid or Sulfuric Acid or asphyxiation from cyanide are examples of immediate effects.

Ingredient – Any component or additive of a product intentionally added or know to be a contaminant that comprises at least 0.01% by weight of the product.

In vitro – Literally meaning is “in glass”. The term indicates an experiment that is done on animal cells in the laboratory rather than on the whole, living organism.

In vivo – Literally meaning is “in life”. The term refers to tests done on live animals.

Irreversible effects are those that produce permanent alterations in function, structure, or capacity. Brain lesions from toluene and cirrhosis of the liver from alcohol are examples of irreversible effects.

Lethal Concentration 50% (LC₅₀) in water– This is the concentration of a chemical in water that results in the death of 50% of the test organisms during an exposure lasting 96 hours. It is usually measured in units of milligrams/liter or parts per million.

Lethal Concentration 50% (LC₅₀) in air– This is the concentration of a chemical in the air that results in the death of 50% of the test organisms during a predetermined exposure time.

Lethal Dose 50% (LD₅₀) – The most commonly used measure of acute toxicity of a substance. Refers to the amount of a substance required to kill half (50%) of a test animal population (usually rodents) from a single dose. Units are milligrams of substance per kilogram of body weight of the animal.

Life Cycle – the stages of a product, process or activity, which encompass raw materials extraction and acquisition, processing, materials manufacture, product fabrication, packaging and distribution, product use/reuse, maintenance, recycling and final dispositon.

Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)  – Review of the full life of a product and its impact on the environment. A LCA review on cleaning products would include: mining the raw material; refining and creating a finished product; transporting the product from the manufacturing point through the distribution channel to the end use point; storage of the product; use of the product; resources used during its life; and its final disposal.

Life-Cycle Cost (LCC)  – Review of the full life cycle and total cost of the product. A LCC review would include: the purchase price of the product; the cost of using the product; and the cost of disposing of it.

Lipophilic – Literally means “fat loving”. The term refers to substances soluble in fats or oils and not generally soluble in water.  Lipophilic pollutants can accumulate in the body fat of animals exposed to them and build up to very high levels. They can also be transferred to young in the mothers’ milk.

Low VOCs  – This refers to the Federal volatile organic compound regulations. 

Lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) – The smallest observed concentration of a substance in water that produces a toxic response in an animal. The LOEC is used as a measure of the chronic or long-term toxicity of a substance, usually to water dwelling animals.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) – a written or printed material concerning a hazardous chemical that contains the information set forth in the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.

Metabolite – A product of the breakdown of a chemical. For example, nonylphenol is a metabolite of nonylphenol ethoxylate.

Mutagen – Any physical or chemical agent that, when applied to a group of living cells, increases the rate of mutation in those cells. A mutation is a change in the genetic material within a cell, which, under certain circumstances, can give rise to a cancer or a hereditary disease. Examples include ethylene oxide and some organic solvents.

No observed effect concentration (NOEC) – The highest concentration of a substance in water that produces no toxic response in an animal.

Nonionic – A type of surfactant with no net electrical charge. Nonionic surfactants include the alkylphenol ethoxylates and the alcohol ethoxylates, among others.

Nonylphenol – An important alkylphenol with nine carbon atoms attached to the phenol unit. A breakdown product of nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants that has been found to have estrogenic activity in fish, mammals and birds.

Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) – A nonionic surfactant of the alkylphenol ethoxylate type in which the alkyl unit has nine carbon atoms. Nonylphenol ethoxylates are the most widely used of the APE surfactants.

Octylphenol – An important alkylphenol with eight carbon atoms attached to the phenol unit. A breakdown product of octylphenol ethoxylate surfactants that has been found to have estrogenic activity in fish, mammals and birds.

Octylphenol ethoxylate (OPE) – A type of nonionic surfactant of the alkylphenol ethoxylate type in which the alkyl unit has eight carbon atoms. Less widely used than nonylphenol ethoxylates but a more potent estrogen.

Ozone-Depleting Compounds – An ozone-depleting compound is any compound with an ozone-depletion potential greater than 0.01 where CFC 11 equals 1.

Polar – A compound whose molecules have an unequal distribution of electrical charge so that one part of the molecule is positively charged and another part is negatively charged. Water is a polar compound, as are most compounds soluble in water.

Pollutant – any substance that directly or indirectly creates an adverse human health or environmental effect when introduced into any environmental media.

Pollution Prevention – the act of reducing or eliminating the use, release, or generation of a pollutant or potential pollutant through source reduction, recycling, reuse, reclamation or modification of operating practices.

Population Distribution -- Means that some members of a population will be highly sensitive; Some members of a population will be very resistant; And most members of a population will be neither sensitive nor resistant.

Post-Consumer Products  – Products that have been collected from the original user that have not been used (excess material), yet still holds their original performance characteristics.

Precipitation – The process of making certain soluble substances (ions or salts) insoluble by addition of the reagent.

Primary Packaging – The packaging that comes in direct contact with the product, not including the lid or cap of a container.

Primary Routes of Entry – Inhalation, Eye contact (ocular), Skin contact (dermal) and Ingestion

Product as used– The most concentrated form of the product, listed on the label, that is recommended for a product’s intended use. For example, if a product label recommends a product be diluted at 1 ounce per gallon (1:128) or 2 ounces per gallon (1:64) of water, the product shall meet the performance, health, safety and environmental requirements at the 2 ounces per gallon dilution.

Re-blended  – Commercial or Architectural Products (specifically Coatings in this report) that are made using post-consumer products.

Recyclable Package – A package that can be diverted from the wastestream through available processes or programs, and can be collected, processed and  returned  to be used as a raw material or product.

Reversible effects are those where tissues are able to re-establish normal structure, function and capacity. Anticholinergic effects of organophosphates and peripheral neuropathy from n-hexane are examples of reversible effects.

Risk – the probability of deleterious health or environmental effects.

Risk Assessment – A procedure used to calculate the probability of an adverse effect occurring by taking into account the toxicity or potency of a substance, the exposure, and the susceptibility of the target organism.

Saponification – The alkaline hydrolysis of fats and oils where ester linkages of triglycerides are cleaved by hydroxide ions, yielding glycerine and soap.

Sequestration – the ability to react with potentially troublesome metal ions to form a stable, water-soluble complex.

Sodium Phosphates – a group of compounds produced by the reaction of phosphoric acid with alkalies. Two basic categories include orthophosphates and condensed phosphates. The orthophosphates are the simplest sodium phosphate salts and include monosodium phosphate, disodium phosphate and trisodium phosphate.  The condensed phosphates are formed when the orthophosphates are heated to remove the water. Examples of condensed phosphates include sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate. Sodium phosphates can provide sequestration, dispersion, buffering, saponification, precipitation and emulsification properties to cleaning products.

Standard – as used in ASTM, a document that has been developed and established within the consensus principles of the Society and that meets the approval requirements of ASTM procedures and regulations.

Stewardship – the responsibility for managing, conducting or supervising the quality, state or condition of a commercial or institutional building.

Surfactant – Chemical compound that have both oil and water soluble structures and can bring both water soluble and insoluble components together in a single liquid phase. Surfactants function in cleaning products to dissolve and remove oils and greases and to make water penetrate more readily.

Sustainability  – Using resources in a way and at a rate that allows people to meet their needs and future generations to also meet theirs. It also means meeting environmental, economic and community needs.

Synergy or Synergism – The interaction of two or more agents to produce a total effect greater than the sum of the effects of the individual agents. 

Teratogen – An agent that causes physical abnormalities in a developing embryo or fetus.

Toxicology  – Study of adverse effects of chemical, biological agents, and physical agents on living organisms.

Toxicity  – The inherent ability of a chemical, biological, or physical agent to cause adverse effects in living organisms.

Toxicity, acute – The ability of a substance to cause adverse health effects (usually death) from a single exposure. The usual measure of acute toxicity is the amount of the substance required to kill half of the laboratory rats or mice exposed to it. (See Lethal Dose 50).

Toxicity, chronic – The ability of a substance to cause adverse health effects from non-lethal exposures over a period of time. One measure of chronic toxicity for aquatic organisms is the LC₅₀ in water.

Tolerance  – A decreased responsiveness to the adverse effects of a chemical, biological or physical agent.

Undiluted Product – The most concentrated form of the product for transport outside the facility.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) – Chemicals whose presence in the air may mean poor air quality.  VOC’s are found both in products themselves, as well as propellants that are added to disperse or apply products.

Washroom Cleaners – Cleaning products used to remove unwanted soils from hard surfaces in a washroom such as walls, floors, fixtures, washbasins, counters, mirrors, bathtubs and tiles. It does not include any EPA registered sterilizers, disinfectants or sanitizers.

Worker Participation – the involvement of cleaning personnel or their representatives, or both, in all aspects of the cleaning process; including product selection, evaluation and appropriate work practices, training and communication of hazards, and the process of work.