Carbon footprint has become a simplistic tagline for
environmental impact. This term seems to discount concerns for profoundly hazardous
chemicals. There are 187 hazardous air pollutants, that in the US, are
controlled by the EPA. I have them listed at the bottom.
These pollutants can cause things such as cancer,
birth defects, impaired lung function, and reduced fertility. They can also cause
harm to the nervous system, cardiovascular, and brain.
I worry more about mercury and dioxin footprint
than carbon footprint. I think the old-fashioned word “pollution” is better
than “carbon footprint”. Everyone concerned with the environment should
understand the notion of embodied energy, which considers the energy (and pollution) associated with a
product, including things we don’t think about, such as mining, transportation,
administration, disposal, etc.
Bad products that are
expensive and then soon discarded always have a high embodied energy. Recycling
has environmental impact, which is why reducing consumption is at the top of the
“reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra. Likewise, sequestering carbon artificially is
not environmentally neutral – I’m a big fan of living trees for obvious
reasons!
Personally, I think fine
particulates (e.g., PM2.5) are the biggest immediate pollution concern. It is
very sad to watch children running around outside enjoying the use of their
healthy lungs and bodies while breathing all the nasty particulates in which we immerse
them.
What level of sophistication
is required by people that regulate us?
EPA’s Current List of Air Toxics
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Acetaldehyde
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Acetamide
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Acetonitrile
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Acetophenone
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2-Acetylaminofluorene
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Acrolein
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Acrylamide
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Acrylic acid
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Acrylonitrile
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Allyl chloride
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4-Aminobiphenyl
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Aniline
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o-Anisidine
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Asbestos
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Benzene (including benzene from gasoline)
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Benzidine
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Benzotrichloride
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Benzyl chloride
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Biphenyl
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Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)
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Bis(chloromethyl)ether
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Bromoform
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1,3-Butadiene
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Calcium cyanamide
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Caprolactam
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Captan
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Carbaryl
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Carbon disulfide
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Carbon tetrachloride
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Carbonyl sulfide
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Catechol
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Chloramben
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Chlordane
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Chlorine
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Chloroacetic acid
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2-Chloroacetophenone
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Chlorobenzene
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Chlorobenzilate
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Chloroform
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Chloromethyl methyl ether
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Chloroprene
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Cresols/Cresylic acid (isomers and mixture)
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o-Cresol
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m-Cresol
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p-Cresol
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Cumene
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2,4-D, salts and esters
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DDE
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Diazomethane
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Dibenzofurans
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1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane
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Dibutylphthalate
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1,4-Dichlorobenzene(p)
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3,3-Dichlorobenzidene
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Dichloroethyl ether (Bis(2-chloroethyl)ether)
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1,3-Dichloropropene
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Dichlorvos
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Diethanolamine
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N,N-Dimethylaniline
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Diethyl sulfate
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3,3-Dimethoxybenzidine
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Dimethyl aminoazobenzene
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3,3'-Dimethyl benzidine
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Dimethyl carbamoyl chloride
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Dimethyl formamide
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1,1-Dimethyl hydrazine
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Dimethyl phthalate
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Dimethyl sulfate
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4,6-Dinitro-o-cresol, and salts
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2,4-Dinitrophenol
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2,4-Dinitrotoluene
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1,4-Dioxane (1,4-Diethyleneoxide)
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1,2-Diphenylhydrazine
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Epichlorohydrin (l-Chloro-2,3-epoxypropane)
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1,2-Epoxybutane
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Ethyl acrylate
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Ethyl benzene
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Ethyl carbamate (Urethane)
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Ethyl chloride (Chloroethane)
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Ethylene dibromide (Dibromoethane)
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Ethylene dichloride (1,2-Dichloroethane)
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Ethylene glycol
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Ethylene imine (Aziridine)
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Ethylene oxide
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Ethylene thiourea
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Ethylidene dichloride (1,1-Dichloroethane)
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Formaldehyde
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Heptachlor
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Hexachlorobenzene
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Hexachlorobutadiene
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Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
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Hexachloroethane
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Hexamethylene-1,6-diisocyanate
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Hexamethylphosphoramide
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Hexane
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Hydrazine
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Hydrochloric acid
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Hydrogen fluoride (Hydrofluoric acid)
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Hydrogen sulfide
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Hydroquinone
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Isophorone
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Lindane (all isomers)
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Maleic anhydride
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Methanol
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Methoxychlor
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Methyl bromide (Bromomethane)
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Methyl chloride (Chloromethane)
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Methyl chloroform (1,1,1-Trichloroethane)
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Methyl ethyl ketone (2-Butanone)
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Methyl hydrazine
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Methyl iodide (Iodomethane)
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Methyl isobutyl ketone (Hexone)
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Methyl isocyanate
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Methyl methacrylate
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Methyl tert butyl ether
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4,4-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline)
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Methylene chloride (Dichloromethane)
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Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)
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4,4'-Methylenedianiline
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Naphthalene
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Nitrobenzene
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4-Nitrobiphenyl
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4-Nitrophenol
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2-Nitropropane
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N-Nitroso-N-methylurea
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N-Nitrosodimethylamine
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N-Nitrosomorpholine
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Parathion
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Pentachloronitrobenzene (Quintobenzene)
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Pentachlorophenol
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Phenol
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p-Phenylenediamine
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Phosgene
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Phosphine
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Phosphorus
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Phthalic anhydride
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Polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclors)
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1,3-Propane sultone
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beta-Propiolactone
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Propionaldehyde
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Propoxur (Baygon)
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Propylene dichloride (1,2-Dichloropropane)
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Propylene oxide
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1,2-Propylenimine (2-Methyl aziridine)
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Quinoline
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Quinone
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Styrene
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Styrene oxide
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2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
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1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
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Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene)
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Titanium tetrachloride
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Toluene
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2,4-Toluene diamine
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2,4-Toluene diisocyanate
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o-Toluidine
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Toxaphene (chlorinated camphene)
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1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
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1,1,2-Trichloroethane
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Trichloroethylene
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2,4,5-Trichlorophenol
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2,4,6-Trichlorophenol
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Triethylamine
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Trifluralin
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2,2,4-Trimethylpentane
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Vinyl acetate
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Vinyl bromide
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Vinyl chloride
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Vinylidene chloride (1,1-Dichloroethylene)
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Xylenes (isomers and mixture)
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o-Xylenes
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m-Xylenes
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p-Xylenes
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Antimony Compounds
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Arsenic Compounds (inorganic including arsine)
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Beryllium Compounds
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Cadmium Compounds
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Chromium Compounds
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Cobalt Compounds
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Coke Oven Emissions
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Cyanide Compounds
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Glycol ethers
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Lead Compounds
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Manganese Compounds
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Mercury Compounds
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Fine mineral fibers
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Nickel Compounds
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Polycyclic Organic Matter
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Radionuclides (including radon)
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Selenium Compounds
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