Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chemical attack: The intentional release of toxic liquid, gas, or solid in order to
poison the environment or people.
Chemical warfare: The use of toxic chemicals as weapons, not including herbicides
used to defoliate battlegrounds or riot control agents such as gas or mace.
Chemical weapons: Weapons that produce effects on living targets via toxic chemi-
cal properties. Examples would be sarin, VX nerve gas, or mustard gas.
Chemterrorism: The use of chemical agents in a terrorist operation. Well-known
chemical agents include sarin and VX nerve gas.
Choking agent: Compounds that cause injury primarily in the respiratory tract
(i.e., nose, throat, and lungs). In extreme cases, membranes swell up, lungs
become filled with liquid, and death results from a lack of oxygen.
Cipro ® (ciprofloxacin): A Bayer ® antibiotic that combats inhalation anthrax.
Confirmed: During a threat evaluation process, a water contamination incident is con-
firmed if there is definitive evidence that the water has been contaminated.
Counterterrorism: Measures to prevent preempt, or retaliate against terrorist attacks.
Credible: During a threat evaluation process, a water contamination threat is char-
acterized as credible if information collected during the threat evaluation
process corroborates information from the threat warning.
Cutaneous: Related to or entering through the skin.
Cutaneous anthrax: Anthrax that is contracted via broken skin. The infection spreads
through the bloodstream causing cyanosis, shock, sweating, and finally death.
Cyanide agent: Used by Iraq in the Iran war against the Kurds in the 1980s and
by the Nazis in the gas chambers of concentration camps, cyanide agents
are a colorless liquid that is inhaled in its gaseous form. Liquid cyanide
and cyanide salts are absorbed by the skin. Symptoms are headache, pal-
pitations, dizziness, and respiratory problems followed later by vomiting,
convulsions, respiratory failure, unconsciousness, and eventually by death.
Cyberterrorism: Attacks on computer networks or systems, generally by hackers
working with or for terrorist groups. Some forms of cyberterrorism include
denial-of-service attacks, inserting viruses, or stealing data.
Department of Homeland Security: An agency organized after 9/11, with former
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge originally heading it up. The Office
of Homeland Security is at the top of approximately 40 federal agencies
charged with protecting the U.S. against terrorism.
Dirty bomb: A makeshift nuclear device created from radioactive nuclear waste
material. Although it is not a nuclear blast, the explosion of a dirty bomb
causes localized radioactive contamination as the nuclear waste material is
carried into the atmosphere where it is dispersed by the wind.
Ebola: Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal disease in nonhuman pri-
mates such as monkeys, chimpanzees, and gorillas, as well as in humans.
Ebola has appeared sporadically since 1976 when it was first recognized.
eBomb: Electromagnetic bomb that produces a brief pulse of energy which affects
electronic circuitry. At low levels, the pulse temporarily disables electronics
systems, including computers, radios, and transportation systems. High lev-
els completely destroy circuitry, causing mass disruption of infrastructure
while sparing life and property.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search