This glossary includes terms used in this document and others frequently used in discussions of contaminated sediments. The banned pesticide DDT and PCBs fall into this category. Elevated levels can cause unwanted growth of algae, and can result in the lowering of the amount of oxygen in the water when the algae die and decay.
Sediment can come from the erosion of soil or from the decomposition of plants and animals.
Wind, water, and ice often carry these particles great distances. Routes of exposure of the substance include ingestion, inhalation, or assimilation into any organism, either directly from the environment or indirectly by ingestion through food chains.