238 The Humanure Handbook — Glossary
actinomycete — Bacteria resembling fungi
because they usually produce a characteris-
tic, branched mycelium.
activated sludge — Sewage sludge that is treat-
ed by forcing air through it in order to acti-
vate the beneficial microbial populations res-
ident in the sludge.
aerobic — Able to live, grow, or take place only
where free oxygen is present, such as aero-
bicbacteria.
algae— Small aquatic plants.
ambient air temperature — The temperature of
the surrounding air, such as the outdoor air
temperature in the vicinity of a compost pile.
amendment— See “bulking agent.”
anaerobic — Able to live and grow where there
is no oxygen.
Ascaris — A genus of roundworm parasitic to
humans.
Aspergillus fumigatus — A spore-forming fun-
gus that can cause allergic reactions in
some people.
bacteria — One-celled microscopic organisms.
Some are capable of causing disease in
humans, others are capable of elevating the
temperature of a pile of decomposing refuse
sufficiently to destroy human pathogens.
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) —The
amount of oxygen used when organic matter
undergoes decomposition by microorgan-
isms. Testing for BOD is done to assess the
amount of organic matter in water.
blackwater— Wastewater from a toilet.
bulking agent — An ingredient in compost, such
as sawdust or straw, used to improve the
structure, porosity, liquid absorption, odor,
and carbon content. The terms “bulking
agent” and “amendment” can be inter-
changeable.
carbonaceous —Containing carbon.
carbon dioxide (CO2) —An inorganic gas com-
posed of carbon and oxygen produced dur-
ing composting.
cellulose —The principal component of cell
walls of plants, composed of a long chain of
tightly bound sugar molecules.
C/N ratio —The ratio of carbon to nitrogen in an
organic material.
combined sewers —Sewers that collect both
sewage and rain water runoff.
compost —A mixture of decomposing veg-
etable refuse, manure, etc., for fertilizing and
conditioning soil.
continuous composting —A system of com-
posting in which organic refuse material is
continuously or daily added to the compost
bin or pit.
cryptosporidia —A pathogenic protozoa which
causes diarrhea in humans.
curing—Final stage of composting. Also called
aging, or maturing.
effluent —Wastewater flowing from a source.
enteric —Intestinal.
evapotranspiration —The transfer of water
from the soil into the atmosphere both by
evaporation and by transpiration of the
plants growing on the soil.
fecal coliforms —Generally harmless bacteria
that are commonly found in the intestines of
warm-blooded animals, used as an indicator
of fecal contamination.
fecophobia —Fear of fecal material, especially
in regard to the use of human fecal material
for agricultural purposes.
fungi —Simple plants, often microscopic, that
lack photosynthetic pigment.
graywater —Household drain water from sinks,
tubs, and washing (not from toilets).
green manure —Vegetation grown to be used
as fertilizer for the soil, either by direct appli-
cation of the vegetation to the soil, by com-
posting it before soil application, or by the
leguminous fixing of nitrogen in the root nod-
ules of the vegetation.
heavy metal — Metals such as lead, mercury,
cadmium, etc., having more than five times
the weight of water. When concentrated in
the environment, can pose a significant
health risk to humans.
helminth — A worm or worm-like animal, espe-
cially parasitic worms of the human diges-
tive system, such as the roundworm or
hookworm.
human nutrient cycle — The repeating cyclical
movement of nutrients from soil to plants
and animals, to humans, and back to soil.
humanure — Human feces and urine compost-
ed for agriculture purposes.
humus —A dark, loamy, organic material
resulting from the decay of plant and ani-
mal refuse.
hygiene — Sanitary practices, cleanliness.
indicator pathogen — A pathogen whose
occurrence serves as evidence that certain
environmental conditions, such as pollution,
are present.
K— Chemical symbol for potassium.
latrine — A toilet, often for the use of a large
number of people.
leachate — Any liquid draining from a source.
Pertaining to compost, it is the liquid that
drains from organic material, especially
when rain water comes in contact with the
compost.
lignin— A substance that forms the woody cell
walls of plants and the “cement” between
them. Lignin is found together with cellulose
and is resistant to biological decomposition.
THE HUMANURE HANDBOOK — GLOSSARY
actinomycete — Bacteria resembling fungi
because they usually produce a characteris-
tic, branched mycelium.
activated sludge — Sewage sludge that is treat-
ed by forcing air through it in order to acti-
vate the beneficial microbial populations res-
ident in the sludge.
aerobic — Able to live, grow, or take place only
where free oxygen is present, such as aero-
bicbacteria.
algae— Small aquatic plants.
ambient air temperature — The temperature of
the surrounding air, such as the outdoor air
temperature in the vicinity of a compost pile.
amendment— See “bulking agent.”
anaerobic — Able to live and grow where there
is no oxygen.
Ascaris — A genus of roundworm parasitic to
humans.
Aspergillus fumigatus — A spore-forming fun-
gus that can cause allergic reactions in
some people.
bacteria — One-celled microscopic organisms.
Some are capable of causing disease in
humans, others are capable of elevating the
temperature of a pile of decomposing refuse
sufficiently to destroy human pathogens.
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) —The
amount of oxygen used when organic matter
undergoes decomposition by microorgan-
isms. Testing for BOD is done to assess the
amount of organic matter in water.
blackwater— Wastewater from a toilet.
bulking agent — An ingredient in compost, such
as sawdust or straw, used to improve the
structure, porosity, liquid absorption, odor,
and carbon content. The terms “bulking
agent” and “amendment” can be inter-
changeable.
carbonaceous —Containing carbon.
carbon dioxide (CO2) —An inorganic gas com-
posed of carbon and oxygen produced dur-
ing composting.
cellulose —The principal component of cell
walls of plants, composed of a long chain of
tightly bound sugar molecules.
C/N ratio —The ratio of carbon to nitrogen in an
organic material.
combined sewers —Sewers that collect both
sewage and rain water runoff.
compost —A mixture of decomposing veg-
etable refuse, manure, etc., for fertilizing and
conditioning soil.
continuous composting —A system of com-
posting in which organic refuse material is
continuously or daily added to the compost
bin or pit.
cryptosporidia —A pathogenic protozoa which
causes diarrhea in humans.
curing—Final stage of composting. Also called
aging, or maturing.
effluent —Wastewater flowing from a source.
enteric —Intestinal.
evapotranspiration —The transfer of water
from the soil into the atmosphere both by
evaporation and by transpiration of the
plants growing on the soil.
fecal coliforms —Generally harmless bacteria
that are commonly found in the intestines of
warm-blooded animals, used as an indicator
of fecal contamination.
fecophobia —Fear of fecal material, especially
in regard to the use of human fecal material
for agricultural purposes.
fungi —Simple plants, often microscopic, that
lack photosynthetic pigment.
graywater —Household drain water from sinks,
tubs, and washing (not from toilets).
green manure —Vegetation grown to be used
as fertilizer for the soil, either by direct appli-
cation of the vegetation to the soil, by com-
posting it before soil application, or by the
leguminous fixing of nitrogen in the root nod-
ules of the vegetation.
heavy metal — Metals such as lead, mercury,
cadmium, etc., having more than five times
the weight of water. When concentrated in
the environment, can pose a significant
health risk to humans.
helminth — A worm or worm-like animal, espe-
cially parasitic worms of the human diges-
tive system, such as the roundworm or
hookworm.
human nutrient cycle — The repeating cyclical
movement of nutrients from soil to plants
and animals, to humans, and back to soil.
humanure — Human feces and urine compost-
ed for agriculture purposes.
humus —A dark, loamy, organic material
resulting from the decay of plant and ani-
mal refuse.
hygiene — Sanitary practices, cleanliness.
indicator pathogen — A pathogen whose
occurrence serves as evidence that certain
environmental conditions, such as pollution,
are present.
K— Chemical symbol for potassium.
latrine — A toilet, often for the use of a large
number of people.
leachate — Any liquid draining from a source.
Pertaining to compost, it is the liquid that
drains from organic material, especially
when rain water comes in contact with the
compost.
lignin— A substance that forms the woody cell
walls of plants and the “cement” between
them. Lignin is found together with cellulose
and is resistant to biological decomposition.
THE HUMANURE HANDBOOK — GLOSSARY
