This book has been written to help professionals, students, and lay people identify the increasing number of terms in the fields of environmental engineering and science. More than 8000 terms, acronyms, and abbreviations applying to wastewater, potable water, industrial water treatment, seawater desalination, air pollution, incineration, and hazardous waste remediation have been defined.
The most unique feature of this book is the inclusion of more than 3000 trademarks and brand names. Many of these commercial terms for proprietary products or processes are so common or descriptive that they have fallen into general use.
This confusion is compounded by the fact that many terms contain similar prefixes (e.g., bio-, enviro-, hydra-, hydro-, etc.) and it is often difficult to tell them apart.
This book originates from Screening Equipment Handbook, first published in 1988, whose glossary contains a list of screening-related trademarks and brand names along with their company affiliation. Even though that list was relatively short, a surprisingly large number of companies had come and gone or changed their names through mergers or acquisitions.
This led to an expanded directory entitled, The Dictionary of Water and Wastewater Treatment Trademarks and Brand Names, published in 1991, and which contained 1200 commercial terms.
The Concise Dictionary of Environmental Engineering followed in 1996. In addition to the 2200 commercial terms, it was further expanded to include 3000 generic environmental engineering terms.
Shortly after it was published, the environmental equipment manufacturing industry began a consolidation led by USFilter, Waterlink, Baker Hughes, ITT, F.B. Leopold, and others that has resulted in changes to 43% of the terms included in the 1996 edition. During the research for this book, many other books, magazines, dictionaries, glossaries, buyer’s guides, catalogs, brochures, and technical papers were reviewed to locate new terms and their definitions.
Although there are too many references to list, I would like to acknowledge the help of these publications and their authors. In addition to technically reviewing this book, John B. Tonner was especially helpful with his suggestions, advice, research assistance, and computer wizardry. Regardless of when I would call, John was always available to help. His www.worldwide-water.com Web site also proved to be a valuable research tool. I would like to acknowledge the libraries that were used in my research.
They include the M.D. Anderson Library at the University of Houston, the Helen Hall Library in League City, Texas, the Houston Public Library Central Branch, and the library at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Mining in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
I also recognize USFilter and Alfa-Laval for their support. I’m grateful for the assistance of the many friends and colleagues who suggested new terms and challenged old ones, helped with definitions, provided encouragement, or assisted in the book’s production.
Some of these people include Robert W. Brown, Gordon Carter, Bill Copa, Chad Dannemann, Jim Force, Jack Gardiner, Duane Germenis, Stacie Jones, John Meidl, Mack Moore, Chad Pankratz, Bill Perpich, Barb Petroff, Jim Symons, Mark Wilson, and Joe Zuback. Like the first edition, published in 1996, much of my work on this book took place while traveling; the rest was done in the evenings and weekends.
I would never have been able to finish without the continued patience and support of my wife, Julie, and our children, Chad, Sarah, Mike, and Katie.
This book is dedicated to my wife, Julie Lynn Pankratz, and our grandson,
Gabriel R. Suarez, who was born the same day this book was completed.
