PolymerIUPAC definitionA polymer is a substance composed of macromolecules. A macromolecule is a molecule of high relative molecular mass, the structure of which essentially comprises the multiple repetition of units derived, actually or conceptually, from molecules of low relative molecular mass.
PlasticPlastics are a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic materials composed primarily of polymers. Their defining characteristic, plasticity, allows them to be molded, extruded, or pressed into a diverse range of solid forms. This adaptability, combined with a wide range of other properties such as low weight, durability, flexibility, chemical resistance, low toxicity, and low-cost production, has led to their widespread use around the world.
WaterNames Preferred IUPAC nameWaterSystematic IUPAC nameOxidane (not in common use)Other names Hydrogen oxideHydrogen hydroxide (H2O or HOH)Hydroxylic acidDihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) (parody name)Dihydrogen oxideHydric acidHydrohydroxic acidHydroxic acidHydroxoic acidHydrolμ-Oxidodihydrogenκ-Hydroxylhydrogen(0)AquaNeutral liquidOxygen dihydride (may be considered incorrect)Identifiers CAS Number7732-18-53D model (JSmol)Interactive imageBeilstein Reference3587155 ChEBICHEBI:15377ChEMBLChEMBL1098659ChemSpider937DrugBankDB09145ECHA InfoCard100.028.902EC Number231-791-2Gmelin Reference117 KEGGC00001PubChemCID962RTECS numberZC0110000UNII059QF0KO0RCompTox Dashboard(EPA)DTXSID6026296InChIInChI=1S/H2O/h1H2Key: XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESOProperties Chemical formulaH2OMolar mass18.015 g·mol Appearance Almost colorless or white crystalline solid, almost colorless liquid, with a hint of blue, colorless gas OdorOdorless DensityLiquid (1 atm, VSMOW):0.99984283(84) g/mL at 0 °C0.99997495(84) g/mL at 3.983035(670) °C (temperature of maximum density, often 4 °C)0.99704702(83) g/mL at 25 °C0.96188791(96) g/mL at 95 °CSolid:0.9167 g/mL at 0 °CMelting point0.00 °C (32.00 °F; 273.15 K) Boiling point99.98 °C (211.96 °F; 373.13 K) SolubilityPoorly soluble in haloalkanes, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ethers.
Abiotic componentIn ecology, abiotic components or abiotic factors are non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems. Abiotic factors and the phenomena associated with them underpin biology as a whole. They affect a wide range of species, across all forms of environmental conditions, such as marine or terrestrial animals. Humans can make or change abiotic factors in a species' environment.
Waste managementActivities and actions required to manage waste from its source to its final disposalA specialized trash collection truck providing regular municipal trash collection in a neighborhood in Stockholm, Sweden.Waste pickers burning e-waste in Agbogbloshie, a site near Accra in Ghana that processes large volumes of international electronic waste.Assimilation (biology)In biology, assimilation is a crucial metabolic process in which absorbed nutrients are transformed into complex biomolecules, that become an integral part of an organism's cellular structure and function. It occurs after digestion and absorption, ensuring that essential macromolecules—such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids—are synthesized and utilized for growth, repair, and maintenance of bodily functions.
Organic matterOrganic matter, organic material or natural organic matter (NOM) is the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have come from the feces and remains of organisms such as plants and animals. Organic molecules can also be made by chemical reactions that do not involve life.
MicroorganismMicroscopic living organismA cluster of Escherichia coli bacteria magnified 10,000 timesA microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic size, which may exist in its single-celled form or as a colony of cells. The possible existence of unseen microbial life was suspected from antiquity, with an early attestation in Jain literature authored in 6th-century BC India.
PhytoremediationPhytoremediation technologies use living plants to clean up soil, air and water contaminated with pollutants. The term is an amalgam of the Greek phyto (plant) and Latin remedium (restoring balance). It is a type of bioremediation. Phytoremediation is proposed as a sustainable alternative to conventional remediation methods, although it has never been used at large scales. Other forms of bioremediation, such as those employing microorganisms, have so far been more successful.
BacteriaDomain of microorganismsSynonyms"Bacteria" (Cohn 1872) Cavalier-Smith 1983"Bacteria" Haeckel 1894"Bacteria" Cavalier-Smith 2002"Bacteriaceae" Cohn 1872a"Bacteriobionta" Möhn 1984"Bacteriophyta" Schussnig 1925"Eubacteria" Woese and Fox 1977"Neobacteria" Möhn 1984"Schizomycetaceae" de Toni and Trevisan 1889"Schizomycetes" Nägeli 1857Bacteria are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell.
European UnionThe European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. A supranational union with a total area of 4,233,255 km2 (1,634,469 sq mi) and an estimated population of just under 452 million as of 2026, its member states generated a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of around €18.802 trillion in 2025, accounting for approximately one sixth of global economic output.
FungusOrganism belonging to kingdom FungiA fungus (pl.: fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. These organisms are classified in the biological kingdomFungi. A characteristic that places fungus in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is having chitin in their cell walls.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.