Environmental Engineering Vocabulary

noun a powdery substance made by calcining lime and clay, mixed with water to form mortar or mixed with sand, gravel, and water to make concrete

• The construction workers used cement to build the foundation of the new building.
• I need to pick up some cement from the store for our DIY project.
• Let's grab some cement and fix that fence before it falls down.
• Trust is the cement that holds relationships together.

noun the construction of such works

• The construction company specializes in building large-scale earthworks for infrastructure projects.
• We're going to need some heavy machinery to tackle that earthwork project next week.
• I can't believe we have to do all this earthwork by hand, it's going to be a tough job.
• The artist's sculpture resembled a complex earthwork, with layers of meaning waiting to be unearthed.

noun the process of keeping something on the surface of a liquid or gas

• The life jacket provides flotation in case of emergency.
• Make sure to wear your floaties for extra flotation in the pool.
• I love using a pool noodle for some chill flotation vibes.
• Her positive attitude acted as a flotation device during tough times.

adjective not allowing fluid to pass through; unable to be affected by

• The new material is impervious to water and air, making it ideal for use in construction.
• She seems impervious to criticism, always staying positive no matter what.
• He acts like he's impervious to consequences, but eventually he'll face the music.
• Her heart had become impervious to love after so many heartbreaks.

noun A substance used to eliminate or mask unpleasant odors.

• The odorizer in the bathroom automatically releases a pleasant scent every hour.
• I bought a new odorizer for the kitchen to get rid of the cooking smells.
• I sprayed some odorizer in my car to cover up the smell of fast food.
• Her kindness acted as an odorizer, masking the unpleasantness of the situation.

noun an act of leaving quickly or suddenly

verb to leave quickly or suddenly

• The water from the heavy rain caused the stream to run off quickly.
• I forgot to turn off the faucet and now the water is starting to run off.
• I need to run off to catch my bus, see you later!
• His patience began to run off as he waited for her to arrive.

noun A vessel or container in which living organisms or biological processes are used to produce a desired end product, such as bacteria used to produce insulin.

• The bioreactor is a key component in the production process of pharmaceuticals.
• They're using a bioreactor to grow cells for research purposes.
• That bioreactor setup is pretty cool, huh?
• Think of a bioreactor as a mini ecosystem where cells thrive and multiply.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'drains' can be a noun when referring to plumbing fixtures that remove water or waste.

verb A word that describes an action, occurrence, or state of being. In this case, 'drains' is a verb indicating the action of removing liquid or waste from a place.

adverb A word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb. In this case, 'up' is an adverb that indicates the direction in which the draining is happening.

• The plumber was called to fix the drains up in the kitchen.
• I need to unclog the drains up in the bathroom.
• I can't believe how much hair clogs the drains up in the shower.
• The constant stress of work really drains me up.

noun a process or treatment that occurs after the main treatment or process has been completed

• The aftertreatment system is designed to reduce harmful emissions from the vehicle.
• Make sure you take your car in for aftertreatment maintenance to keep it running smoothly.
• I heard the aftertreatment on that truck is top-notch, it's practically brand new.
• Implementing aftertreatment measures can help clean up the environmental mess we've made.