Safety and Environmental Protection Flashcards
7 cards from real CFA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Safety and Environmental Protection flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes the primary route of fertilizer-related nitrate contamination of groundwater?
Answer: Leaching of excess nitrate through the soil profile below the root zone
Nitrate is highly water-soluble and moves downward through the soil profile with percolating water, contaminating groundwater when applied in excess of crop uptake.
A Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Section 8 provides information primarily about:
Answer: Exposure controls and personal protective equipment
SDS Section 8 covers exposure limits (PELs/TLVs), engineering controls, and required PPE for safe handling of the substance.
When storing ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which material must NEVER be stored nearby?
Answer: Organic materials and fuels
Ammonium nitrate is a strong oxidizer that can violently react with organic materials and fuels, creating a serious fire and explosion hazard.
Under the Clean Water Act, which program requires operators to develop and implement a plan to prevent fertilizer pollution from reaching nearby waterways?
Answer: Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
A SWPPP identifies potential pollution sources on a site and describes practices to reduce pollutants, including fertilizers, in stormwater discharges.
Which personal protective equipment is most critical when mixing concentrated liquid fertilizer solutions?
Answer: Chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, and apron
Concentrated liquid fertilizers are corrosive and can splash, making chemical-resistant gloves, eye/face protection, and a chemical-resistant apron essential.
What is the purpose of a buffer zone or setback when applying fertilizer near a water body?
Answer: To reduce nutrient runoff and protect aquatic ecosystems
Buffer zones and setbacks create a vegetated strip that slows runoff, filters nutrients, and protects adjacent water bodies from fertilizer contamination.
Eutrophication of water bodies caused by fertilizer runoff is most directly characterized by:
Answer: Excessive algae and aquatic plant growth leading to oxygen depletion
Excess nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, fuel rapid algal blooms; when the algae die and decompose, bacteria consume oxygen and create hypoxic dead zones.