A

Acid a proton donor. Common acids include;

HCl hydrochloric, HNO₃ nitric, H₂SO₄ sulfuric

Anion is a negative ion e.g. Cl^–. Atoms become anions by accepting electrons; the number of electrons accepted determines their number of positive charges.

O^2-(oxide)  and N^3-(nitride) are other examples of common anions.

Asphyxiant is a substance that can cause unconsciousness or death by suffocation (asphyxiation) e.g. nitrogen gas (N₂).

Atom the basic building block of matter; there are 109 different types of atoms e.g. Carbon, chemical symbol C. Carbon’s atomic number is 6.

Atomic number the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom; usually written as a subscript beside the chemical symbol for an element e.g. ₆C 

The Periodic Table is a list of chemical elements arranged in order of increasing Atomic Number.

Atomic weight the average of all the masses of an element’s isotopes.

B

Base a proton acceptor. Common bases include:

NaOH  sodium hydroxide, NH₃ ammonia.

Bond a chemical bond holds atoms and molecules together; there are 3 different types of chemical bonds:

Ionic bond; between a metal and a non-metal

Covalent bond; between non-metals

Metallic bond; found only in metals

C

Cation is a positive ion e.g. Na⁺. Atoms become cations by donating electrons; the number of electrons donated determines their number of positive charges.

Mg²⁺and Al³⁺are other examples of common cations.

Compound  a group of atoms chemically bonded together e.g. H₂O, water; this compound contains Hydrogen and Oxygen atoms, or NaCl, sodium chloride (table salt); this compound contains sodium ions and chloride ions.

Covalent bond  a chemical (electrostatic)  bond joining, usually, non-metals e.g. in H₂O the bonding is covalent

Covalent compound commonly termed molecule, is a chemical compound containing mainly non-metals covalently bonded e.g. CO₂, carbon dioxide.

D

Dalton  A unit of mass equal to exactly 1/12 the mass of one ¹²C atom, or 1.660538921 x 10⁻²⁷ kg. This is the approximate mass of one proton or one neutron. It is the basis of atomic weights.

Dangerous goods are substances that may be corrosive, flammable, explosive, spontaneously combustible, toxic, oxidising or water-reactive. They can have significant effects on property or the environment.(e.g. LP gas, kerosene, chlorine gas).

Some dangerous goods are also hazardous substances.

E

Element a substance containing only one type of atom (there are 109 known elements listed in the Periodic Table) e.g. Carbon, C is its chemical symbol.

Empirical formula the simplest whole number ratio of atoms in a compound e.g. the empirical formula of butane C₄H₁₀ is C₂H₅.

Electrostatic bond the attraction force between two completely or partially ionized species with opposite charges e.g. the sodium ion, Na⁺ , and the chloride ion, Cl^–, in sodium chloride NaCl.

F

Formula Weight (FW) the sum of all atomic weights of all elements in a chemical substance (e.g. the FW of sodium chloride, NaCl, is 58.5. Some chemists refer to formula weight where ionic compounds are involved and molecular weight where covalent compounds are concerned.

G

Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals is a chemical classification system was developed by the United Nations with the intention of harmonising the many different chemical classification systems in use around the world. It is now in use in Australia.

H

Hazardous substance  is a chemical substance, either pure or as part of a mixture, in the form of a solid, liquid or gas, that has the potential to harm human health e.g. asbestos or ammonia.

I
Ionic bond a chemical (electrostatic)  bond joining, usually, a metal and a non-metal atoms where electrons are donated and accepted forming ions e.g. in NaCl the bonding is ionic and the compound is made up of sodium ions (the sodium atom has donated an electron forming a positive ion, Na⁺) and chloride ions (the chlorine atom has accepted an electron forming a negative ion, Cl^–)

Ingestion (portal of entry of toxin)     eating e.g a food or solid or liquid compound e.g.

Inhalation (portal of entry of toxin)   breathing in e.g. a gas, such as oxygen, or a toxic gas such as CO, carbon monoxide, or even an asphyxiant such as N₂, nitrogen gas

Isomer a compound having the same molecular formula but a different structural formula as another

e.g.  C₄H₁₀ is butane. Can be represented as n-butane or methyl propane; these are isomers of butane.

Isotope is a substance having the same atomic number but a different mass number e.g. ¹²C and ¹³C are both isotopes of carbon

J

K

L

M

Mass number the number of protons plus neutrons in the nucleus of an atom; shown as a superscript beside the chemical symbol for an element e.g. ¹²C

Metabolite is any substance produced during metabolism (digestion or other bodily chemical processes). The term metabolite may also refer to the product that remains after a drug is broken down (metabolized) by the body

Metallic bond a strong and nondirectional electrostatic chemical bond found in metal elements.

Molecule a group of atoms, usually non-metals, chemically bonded e.g. H₂O, water or CO_2, carbon dioxide

Molecular formula the exact formula of a molecule; showing the types of atoms and the number of each type e.g. CH₄ is the molecular formula of methane.

Molecular weight the sum of all atomic weights of elements in a chemical substance e.g. the molecular weight of water, H₂O, is 18. Note: molecular weight is generally used when covalent compounds (molecules) are referenced.

N

Neutron a neutral sub-atomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom

Nucleus the dense central region of an atom containing protons and neutrons

Nucleon a collective term for protons and neutrons

O

Organic chemistry the chemistry of compounds containing carbon

Oxidation is the loss of electrons from a chemical species leading to an increase in oxidation state e.g. when Cu metal becomes Cu²⁺ions.

P

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

 Periodic Table a list of all the known chemical elements set out on tabular form.

pH a logarithmic scale based on 10 usually from 1-14; used to indicate whether solutions are acidic (pH<7), basic (pH>7)or neutral (pH=7).

pH = -log₁₀[H⁺] or -log₁₀[H₃O⁺]

Plastic a large molecule  (a polymer) built from smaller repeating units (monomers) chemically bonded together e.g. polythene. Plastics generally refer to artificially produced polymers.

Poison a substance that can cause illness or death when it enters our bodies, usually as a component of food or drink e.g. NaCN, sodium cyanide.

Polymer a large molecule built from smaller often repeating units (monomers) chemically bonded together e.g. a plastic like polythene, or a protein

 Portal of entry the means by which toxins enter the body:

• Absorption (passing through a surface e.g the skin or mucous membrane)
• ingestion (eating)
• inhalation (breathing in)

Proton a positive sub-atomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons in an element’s nucleus determines its atomic number.

Q

R

Reduction is the gain of electrons by a chemical species leading to a decrease in oxidation number e.g. Zn²⁺ions accepting 2 electrons to form Zn metal.

Route of entry how a chemical substance (usually in reference to a toxin or poison) enters the body: by absorption or ingestion or inhalation

S

Salt any ionic compound e.g. NaCl, sodium chloride or CuSO_4, copper sulfate

Scheduled poison a substance listed on a national classification system that controls how medicines and poisons are made available to the public. Medicines and poisons are classified into Schedules according to the level of regulatory control over the availability of the medicine or poison required to protect public health and safety.

Signal heading words, often printed in bold or red at the top front section of a label e.g. POISON or CAUTION.

Solubility the amount of substance that dissolves in a given volume of solvent at a particular temperature e.g. the solubility of NaCl is 93.4g/100mL water at 20^oC

Structural formula a diagram showing the arrangement of chemical bonding in a molecule:

e.g.

is the structural formula of CH₃OH which is methanol.

SUSMP  (Standard for Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons) is an Australian legislative instrument produced by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Before 2010, it was known as the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Drugs and Poisons (SUSDP).

Symbol is an internationally agreed shorthand abbreviation for a particular chemical element e.g. C is the chemical symbol for Carbon

T

Toxin a harmful substance that usually has a biological origin e.g. snake venom

Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism.

U

V

Valency the charge on an ion or its combining capacity with other atoms. e.g. the valency of Na⁺ is +1 and it can combine with Cl^–which has a valency of -1

W

Water soluble any substance (solute) that will dissolve in water e.g. sodium chloride, NaCl, is soluble in water.

X

X-Ray or X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 picometers to 10 nanometers, 

Y

Z