Environmental Impact & Safety Regulations Flashcards

Nitrate leaching from over-fertilized fields is a particular concern for which type of water source?

Answer: Shallow unconfined aquifers used for drinking water

Nitrate moves readily through soil with water and accumulates in shallow unconfined aquifers, posing a methemoglobinemia risk when nitrate exceeds 10 mg/L in drinking water.

Which environmental phenomenon results when excess nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer runoff stimulate explosive algae growth in water bodies?

Answer: Eutrophication

Eutrophication occurs when nutrient enrichment of water bodies triggers algal blooms that deplete dissolved oxygen and create hypoxic dead zones as algae decompose.

An applicator is working with anhydrous ammonia. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is specifically required due to anhydrous ammonia's most serious acute hazard?

Answer: Chemical-splash goggles and impermeable gloves rated for ammonia exposure

Anhydrous ammonia causes severe chemical burns to eyes and skin on contact; chemical-splash goggles and ammonia-rated impermeable gloves are required minimum PPE.

Under the Clean Air Act, which atmospheric pollutant produced by nitrogen fertilizer volatilization is classified as a greenhouse gas regulated under federal reporting thresholds?

Answer: Nitrous oxide (N₂O)

Nitrous oxide (N₂O), produced during nitrification and denitrification in soil, is a potent greenhouse gas with roughly 265 times the warming potential of CO₂ over 100 years.

A fertilizer storage facility catches fire. Which substance, if present, creates the greatest explosion and toxic fume risk for first responders?

Answer: Ammonium nitrate

Ammonium nitrate is an oxidizer that can detonate under heat and confinement and releases toxic nitrogen oxide gases when burning, creating explosive hazards for emergency responders.

Which federal agency enforces worker safety regulations for applicators handling fertilizers and associated chemicals on the job?

Answer: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

OSHA sets and enforces workplace safety standards including chemical handling, PPE requirements, and emergency response procedures for workers in the fertilizer industry.

When transporting anhydrous ammonia by highway in quantities exceeding regulatory thresholds, the applicator must comply with regulations issued by which agency?

Answer: DOT (PHMSA)

The Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regulates the highway transport of hazardous materials including anhydrous ammonia.