10. Chemical Abbreviations

C—Carbon.

C-14—A radioisotope used for “carbon dating” of ancient dead materials.

C6H12O6—Glucose, the chemical building block of cellulose.

C6H10O5—Cellulose.

CH4—Methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas (commonly produced by anaerobic decomposition), commonly associated with garbage, sewage, rice farming and coal mining—where it can cause lethal explosions. Also, perhaps the cleanest-combusting fossil fuel—but a far worse global warming agent than CO2 when it enters the atmosphere uncombusted. See II:307.

CO—Carbon monoxide. A common emission from incomplete fossil fuel combustion; in other words, a typical vehicle-caused pollutant. Both a greenhouse gas with moderate warming power and a precursor (see here) whose indirect effect is to increase levels of other GHGs.

CO2—Carbon dioxide. The star of the show.

CO3=—Carbonate. [The minus signs indicate that this is a negatively charged ion.] From the simplified perspective of Carbon Ideologies, the carbon-oxygen portion of certain carbon compounds. Dr. Pieter Tans to WTV, explaining why a runaway greenhouse effect to Venusian conditions hopefully will not occur: “The Venus atmosphere is almost entirely composed of CO2 [no subscript in original] . . . On Earth almost all of that carbon is in rocks, in the form of solid Ca/Mg carbonates.”

Ca—Calcium.

CaCO3—Calcium carbonate. The main ingredient in limestone, oyster shell, marble, coral, chalk, etc. Employed in West Virginia to deacidify mine runoff in streams and drinking water. A buffer against runaway climate change. F. W. Taylor, 2001: “Most of the carbon dioxide that was originally outgassed . . . no longer resides in the atmosphere; it has been lost by processes that have led to the formation of carbonate deposits (mostly limestone), coal and petroleum.” See CO3− above.

Mg—Magnesium.

MgCO3—Magnesium carbonate. Oxidation will create this coating on exposed Mg.

CaCO3,• MgCO3 —Dolomite, a commonly occurring building stone.

Cs—Cesium. A relevant headline from Fukushima: Cesium levels in water, plankton baffle scientists. See Table 1, here.

Cs-134—A common fission product, prevalent in nuclear waste. Less prevalent at Fukushima, shorter-lived [half-life = 20.65 years] than Cs-137, and probably less hazardous.

Cs-137—Another common fission product, also present in nuclear waste, and also released at Fukushima, where it was especially dangerous. Its longer half-life [30.2 years] meant that it contaminated that area much longer than Cs-134.

GHG—Greenhouse gas[es]. For a cursory list, see the table of Comparative One-Century Global Warming Potentials here.

H—Hydrogen, the most common element in the universe.

H2—The configuration of a hydrogen molecule: 2 hydrogen atoms together.

H2O—Water. As atmospheric vapor, a significant global warming agent.

3H or T—Tritium. A dangerous but relatively shortlived radioisotope, used to make certain fission bombs. Released in vast and continuing quantities at Fukushima. See Table 1, here.

H2S—Hydrogen sulfide. A decay product of certain proteins; a combustion product of some coals.

H2SO4—Sulfuric acid. A ubiquitous industrial chemical.

I-131—Iodine-131, a shortlived fission product of nuclear reactors. Released at Fukushima, with possible implications in increased thyroid risk, especially for children. See Table 1, here.

K—Potassium, the manufacture of whose fertilizer compounds [potashes] emitted relatively small amounts of greenhouse gases but required considerable [in our day fossil-fuel-powered] thermodynamic work.

Kr-85—A shortlived radioactive krypton isotope commonly emitted by nuclear power plants. Released in the Fukushima accident.

Mol—Mole[s]. For definition, see heat of combustion, here, and also see section 12 beginning here.

N—Nitrogen, the most common atmospheric element. Essential in fertilizer compounds, because there can be no proteins without it.

N2—The configuration of a nitrogen molecule: 2 nitrogen atoms together. In the atmosphere N2 is innocuous.

N2O—Nitrous oxide, a dangerous greenhouse gas. Like CH4, a greenhouse gas linked to sewage, compost, etcetera; also a vehicle pollutant and a dental anesthetic.

NF3—Nitrogen trifluoride, a dangerous greenhouse gas.

NH3—Ammonia, a common greenhouse gas with very low warming power. Associated with nitric acid manufacture, decomposition of living things, oxygenless heating of bituminous coal. A refrigerant. Ammonium compounds supplied nitrogen to soils in such fertilizer forms as:

NH4NO3—Ammonium nitrate

(NH4)2SO4—Ammonium sulfate

NOx or NOx—Nitrogen oxides; their plurality is represented by the “x.” Like CO, they are both greenhouse gases and precursors (see here). Confusingly enough, at times they also exert cooling effects.

O—Oxygen.

O2—The configuration of an oxygen molecule: 2 oxygen atoms together.

MOX—Mixed oxide nuclear reactor fuel (plutonium + uranium oxides).

P—Phosphorus, another agricultural necessity. The manufacture of phosphate fertilizers released significant CO2.

Pu—Plutonium, an artificially produced “transuranium element” (small natural quantities have also existed). A decay product of U-239. [For various Pu isotopes, see Table 2, here.]

Ra—Radium. This radioactive element occurs in ores of U, but in such small concentrations that its isolation there is impractical.

Rn—Radon. A naturally occurring radioactive gas in soils, basements—and, of course, uranium tailings. A decay product of, most significantly, U-238.

S—Sulfur.

SF6—Sulfur hexafluoride, a scarce but very dangerous greenhouse gas used in various manufacturing processes.

SO2—Sulfur dioxide. The best-known combustion product of sulfur. Released by volcanoes, fuel combustion and many industrial processes. Used to make H2SO4. In small doses, a cooling agent; in larger ones, a warming agent. See II:26.

Si—Silicon.

Sr-90—A very dangerous radioisotope that concentrates in bones. Released in the Fukushima accident. See Table 1, here.

TiO2—Titanium dioxide, a white pigment applied in toothpastes, paints and papers. The manufacture of TiO2 releases significant amounts of CO2.

U—Uranium. This element and all its isotopes are radioactive.

U-235—A rare isotope, artificially produced to make atom bombs and enriched reactor fuel.

U-238—Uranium’s most common isotope. Can be used to make Pu.

U-239—An unstable uranium isotope.

UF6—A common nuclear reactor fuel.

Xe-133—A shortlived radioactive xenon isotope commonly emitted by nuclear power plants. Released in the Fukushima accident.