(BAT) Reference Document for the Production of Chlor-alkali ...

Glossary
CEN European Committee for Standardisation (from its French name Comité Européen de
Normalisation).
Chrysotile White asbestos, the most commonly encountered form of asbestos. The chemical
formula is Mg6Si4O10(OH)8.
CN Chlorinated naphthalene.
COD Chemical oxygen demand.
Comproportionation Redox reaction where two reactants, each containing the same element
but with a different oxidation number, will form a product with an oxidation number
intermediate of the two reactants.
Co-product Any of two or more products coming from the same unit process or product
system (ISO 14044: Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Requirements
and guidelines). In the chlor-alkali industry, chlorine, caustic and hydrogen are co-products
of brine electrolysis.
DC Direct current.
Difference to balance Arithmetic difference between the mercury outputs and inputs of a
mercury cell chlor-alkali plant. The outputs include mercury emissions to air, water and via
products as well as mercury disposed of with waste.
Diffuse emissions Emissions which do not occur via specific emission points (stacks, etc.).
Disproportionation Redox reaction in which a species is simultaneously reduced and
oxidized so as to form two different products.
DPD N,N-diethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine.
ECU Electrochemical Unit. 1 ECU is equivalent to the co-production of 1.000 t chlorine,
1.128 t sodium hydroxide (100%) and 0.028 t hydrogen.
EDC Ethylene dichloride.
EFTA European Free Trade Association. Member countries in 2011 are Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.
Electrode Electrical conductor used to make contact with a non-metallic part of an electric
circuit.
Electrolyser Apparatus in which electrolysis is carried out. An electrolyser consists of
several electrolytic cells arranged in parallel or series.
WORKING DRAFT IN PROGRESS
Electrolysis Passage of a direct electric current through an ionic substance resulting in
chemical reactions at the electrodes. The ionic substance is either molten or dissolved in a
suitable solvent.
Emission Direct or indirect release of substances, vibrations, heat or noise from individual or
diffuse sources in the installation into air, water or land (Industrial Emissions Directive).
EMS Environmental Management System.
EN European Standard adopted by CEN.
318 December 2011 TB/EIPPCB/CAK_Draft_1