National Pesticide Applicators Certification Core
Active Ingredient the chemical or chemicals in a product responsible for pesticidal activity
Activator An adjuvant added to a pesticide to increase its toxicity
Abiotic Factors related to nonliving elements, such as air pollutants, wind, water, and temperature
Absorption the movement of a chemical into plants, animals, microorganisms, or soil
Acaricide A pesticide used to control mites and ticks. A miticide is a type of acaricide
Acidic Having a pH less than 7
Action Threshold a predetermined level of pest infestation or damage at which some type of pest
management action must be taken
Activated Charcoal a finely ground charcoal that adsorbs chemicals
Acute Effects Illnesses or injuries that occur shortly (within 24hours) after exposure to a pesticide
Acute Exposure an exposure to a single dose of pesticide
Acute Toxicity An injury or illness produced from a single pesticide exposure.
Adjuvant a substance added to a pesticide to improve its effectiveness or safety
Adsorption the process whereby chemicals are held or bound to a surface by physical or
chemical attraction Clay and high-organic soils tend to adsorb pesticides
Adulterated Pesticide a pest control product that does not conform to the specified standard or quality
documented on its label or labeling
Advisory statements manufacturer recommendations or best management practices for optimal use of a
pesticide product.
, National Pesticide Applicators Certification Core
Aerosol a chemical stored in a container under pressure. An extremely fine mist is produced
when the material, dissolved in a liquid, is released into the air
Agitation System A device that stirs or mixes a pesticide product in a sprayer
Air-blast sprayer a type of pesticide application equipment that uses a large volume of air moving at
high speed to break up and disperse spray droplets from the nozzle
Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) a safety device that uses filters or sorbents to remove hazardous substances,
including pesticides, from the air
Algae relatively simple plants that are photosynthetic and contain chlorophyll
Algaecide a pesticide used to kill or inhibit algae
Alkaline having a pH greater than 7 (also called basic)
Allergic Effects/Allergy a hypersensitivity to a specific substance, often called the allergen.
Animal systemics pesticide products that are absorbed by, enter the tissues of, and, move within the
treated animal
Annual a plant that completes its life cycle in one year
Antagonism the reduction of pesticide activity when two or more different pesticides are mixed
together
Antibiotic chemical produced by a microorganism that is toxic to other microorganisms
Anticoagulant a chemical that prevents normal blood clotting
Antidote a practical treatment used to counteract the effects of pesticide poisoning or some
other poison in the body
Anti-Siphoning Device a hose attachment designed to prevent backflow of a pesticide mix from the spray
tank into a water source
, National Pesticide Applicators Certification Core
Application Rate the amount of pesticide that is applied to a known area, such as an acre or 1,000
square feet or linear feet
Aquifer a geological formation from which groundwater may be drawn. Can be a layer of
sand, gravel, or other soil materials or a section of bedrock with fractures through
which water can flow
Arachnid a wingless arthropod with two body regions and four pairs of jointed legs. Spiders,
ticks, and mites
Arthropod an invertebrate animal characterized by a jointed body and limbs and usually a hard
body covering that is molted at intervals. Insects, mites, and crayfish
Atmosphere-Supplying Respirator a safety device that provides a supply of breathable air from a clean, independent
outside source
Atropine an antidote used to treat organophosphate and carbamate poisoning
Attractant a substance or device used to lure insects or other pests to a trap or poison bait
Avicide A chemical used to kill or repel birds
Back-Siphoning the movement of a liquid pesticide mixture from a spray tank through the filling hose
into the water source
Bacteria microscopic organisms, some of which can produce diseases in plants and animals
Bactericide A chemical used to control bacteria
Bait a food or other substance used to attract a pest to a pesticide or a trap
Band Application a pesticide or other material applied in or beside a crop row instead of over the
entire field
Basal Application an herbicide applied to plant stems or trunks at or just above the ground line
Beneficial an insect that is useful or helpful to humans
Active Ingredient the chemical or chemicals in a product responsible for pesticidal activity
Activator An adjuvant added to a pesticide to increase its toxicity
Abiotic Factors related to nonliving elements, such as air pollutants, wind, water, and temperature
Absorption the movement of a chemical into plants, animals, microorganisms, or soil
Acaricide A pesticide used to control mites and ticks. A miticide is a type of acaricide
Acidic Having a pH less than 7
Action Threshold a predetermined level of pest infestation or damage at which some type of pest
management action must be taken
Activated Charcoal a finely ground charcoal that adsorbs chemicals
Acute Effects Illnesses or injuries that occur shortly (within 24hours) after exposure to a pesticide
Acute Exposure an exposure to a single dose of pesticide
Acute Toxicity An injury or illness produced from a single pesticide exposure.
Adjuvant a substance added to a pesticide to improve its effectiveness or safety
Adsorption the process whereby chemicals are held or bound to a surface by physical or
chemical attraction Clay and high-organic soils tend to adsorb pesticides
Adulterated Pesticide a pest control product that does not conform to the specified standard or quality
documented on its label or labeling
Advisory statements manufacturer recommendations or best management practices for optimal use of a
pesticide product.
, National Pesticide Applicators Certification Core
Aerosol a chemical stored in a container under pressure. An extremely fine mist is produced
when the material, dissolved in a liquid, is released into the air
Agitation System A device that stirs or mixes a pesticide product in a sprayer
Air-blast sprayer a type of pesticide application equipment that uses a large volume of air moving at
high speed to break up and disperse spray droplets from the nozzle
Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) a safety device that uses filters or sorbents to remove hazardous substances,
including pesticides, from the air
Algae relatively simple plants that are photosynthetic and contain chlorophyll
Algaecide a pesticide used to kill or inhibit algae
Alkaline having a pH greater than 7 (also called basic)
Allergic Effects/Allergy a hypersensitivity to a specific substance, often called the allergen.
Animal systemics pesticide products that are absorbed by, enter the tissues of, and, move within the
treated animal
Annual a plant that completes its life cycle in one year
Antagonism the reduction of pesticide activity when two or more different pesticides are mixed
together
Antibiotic chemical produced by a microorganism that is toxic to other microorganisms
Anticoagulant a chemical that prevents normal blood clotting
Antidote a practical treatment used to counteract the effects of pesticide poisoning or some
other poison in the body
Anti-Siphoning Device a hose attachment designed to prevent backflow of a pesticide mix from the spray
tank into a water source
, National Pesticide Applicators Certification Core
Application Rate the amount of pesticide that is applied to a known area, such as an acre or 1,000
square feet or linear feet
Aquifer a geological formation from which groundwater may be drawn. Can be a layer of
sand, gravel, or other soil materials or a section of bedrock with fractures through
which water can flow
Arachnid a wingless arthropod with two body regions and four pairs of jointed legs. Spiders,
ticks, and mites
Arthropod an invertebrate animal characterized by a jointed body and limbs and usually a hard
body covering that is molted at intervals. Insects, mites, and crayfish
Atmosphere-Supplying Respirator a safety device that provides a supply of breathable air from a clean, independent
outside source
Atropine an antidote used to treat organophosphate and carbamate poisoning
Attractant a substance or device used to lure insects or other pests to a trap or poison bait
Avicide A chemical used to kill or repel birds
Back-Siphoning the movement of a liquid pesticide mixture from a spray tank through the filling hose
into the water source
Bacteria microscopic organisms, some of which can produce diseases in plants and animals
Bactericide A chemical used to control bacteria
Bait a food or other substance used to attract a pest to a pesticide or a trap
Band Application a pesticide or other material applied in or beside a crop row instead of over the
entire field
Basal Application an herbicide applied to plant stems or trunks at or just above the ground line
Beneficial an insect that is useful or helpful to humans
