CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

1
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE

SIMPLY AND THOROUGHLY EXPLAINED

By

Dr. Daniel Farcas, CIH, CSP, CHMM

Damien Hammond, MS, CIH, CSP
Dr. Lorenzo Cena, MS, PhD

2021

Copyright Daniel Farcas, 2020

www.DanielFarcas.com

ISBN: 9798556683082

2
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

Also available:

CSP EXAM Equations simply CIH EXAM Equations simply

explained and with examples explained and with examples

CIH EXAM ESSENTIAL CSP EXAM ESSENTIAL

PRACTICE SIMPLY AND PRACTICE SIMPLY AND
THOROUGHLY EXPLAINED THOROUGHLY EXPLAINED

3
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

Dr. Daniel Farcas has more than 20 years of experience in conducting

scientific research and leading production teams in a variety of fields,
including public health, infection control, nanotechnology, microbiology,
silica, and asbestos. He is author or co-author of numerous scientific
manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. His research interest is erionite, an
emerging naturally-occurring carcinogen that, through continued and
frequent exposure, can lead to mesothelioma and firefighters' exposure to
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) through turnout gear
or personal protective equipment (PPE) vectors. Dr. Daniel Farcas is a
Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) CP #11723, a Certified Safety
Professional (CSP) #36048, and a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) #24712.

Mr. Damien Hammond SR, President of Windjammer Environmental, has

over 20 years of experience in providing industrial hygiene, environmental,
and occupational health and safety services. His educational
accomplishments include a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the
University of the District of Columbia and a Master of Science in
Environmental Sciences and Public Policy from George Mason University.
He has served as the President of the American Industrial Hygiene
Association (Potomac Section), a professional organization with roughly
one thousand members in the Washington DC metropolitan area. As
President of AIHA (Potomac), Mr. Hammond was responsible for
developing practices that helped promote increased member participation. Since becoming a
Board-Certified Industrial Hygienist and Certified Safety Professional, Mr. Hammond has grown
Windjammer’s technical capabilities and expanded its national presence with operations in five
states. Windjammer’s commitment to excellence serving clients such as the US Department of
State, The US Coast Guard, DuPont Personal Protection, and many others have earned the
distinction of being selected as one of the Emerging Businesses of 2017 by the US Small
Business Administration.

Dr. Lorenzo Cena is an aerosol scientist and industrial hygienist with

expertise in occupational and environmental health. He has extensive
experience in the control and assessment of occupational hazards
associated with exposures to aerosols and nanoparticles. Before joining
the faculty of West Chester University, Dr. Cena has worked for five years
for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). He has published
several articles on workplace exposures, particle characterization,
toxicology, exposure assessment, and analytical methods, and has
presented his work at national and international conferences. Dr. Cena is also the co-inventor of
a personal sampler for nanoparticles.

The authors would like to thank the following reviewers for their insightful comments and efforts
towards improving this book:
Michael McCawley, Ph.D., West Virginia University.
Khachatur Sarkisian, M.S., National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

4
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

“The CHMM Exam - Essential Practice by Farcas, Hammond, and Cena is, as the name
implies, an essential set of questions for the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager
exam. This book is well laid out in 14 sections. It draws the reader in, which certainly
assists with the increased retention of the amount of material that has to be covered. The
questions are well introduced with a short narrative before introducing the pertinent
equations and solution to the over 450 examples of essential questions. The book serves
as a formidable preparation for the CHMM exam and a good review of basic principles, a
reference for many of the day-to-day technical issues confronting the practicing worker’s
safety, and a guide for raising awareness of potential problems for which alert action is
required. The authors bring a breadth of experience and insight into the issues handled
in the text. They bring context to the basic principles to be highlighted by the examples of
the questions and their solutions. CHMM Exam - Essential Practice should be a must-
have text for everyone in the field.”
Michael McCawley, Ph.D., West Virginia University.

Dr. Daniel Farcas would also like to thank Bowen EHS and its staff for the help and
guidance received through his studies for certification.

5
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

Content
ESSENTIAL ACRONYMS LIST……………………………………...7

IHMM CODE OF ETHICS…………………………………………...10

SUMMARY OF ACTS……………………………………………….12

BASIC SCIENCE…………………………………………………….13

TRANSPORT………………………………………………………...21

WATER……………………………………………………………….32

AIR…………………………………………………………………….46

LAND………………………………………………………………….52

HAZARDS…………………………………………………………….59

WASTE………………………………………………………………..77

FIRE…………………………………………………………………...93

SAFETY MANAGEMENT…………………………………………...99

TOXICOLOGY……………………………………………………...108

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)……………….145

RADIATION…………………………………………………………151

SAMPLING………………………………………………………….161

CLEANING TECHNOLOGIES…………………………………….167

6
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

ESSENTIAL ACRONYMS LIST

CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE SIMPLY AND THOROUGHLY EXPLAINED

AAI – All Appropriate Inquiry (page 58)

ACM – Asbestos-Containing Material (page 142)
AHERA – Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (page 142)
ALARA – As Low as Reasonably Achievable (page 157)
AMD – Acid Mine Drainage (page 17)
ASHARA – Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act (page 143)
BACT – Best Available Control Technology (page 48)
BLEVE – Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (page 92)
BOD – Biochemical Oxygen Demand (page 39)
BTEX – Benzene/Toluene/Ethylbenzene/Xylene (page 163)
CAA – Clean Air Act (page 46)
CAS - Chemical Abstracts Services (page 26)
CERCLA – Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (page 80)
CAP – Criteria Air Pollutant (page 47)
CESQG – Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (page 87)
CFATS – Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (page 83)
CFC – Chlorofluorocarbons (page 141)
CFR – Code of Federal Regulations (www.ecfr.gov)
COD – Chemical Oxygen Demand (page 39)
CWA – Clean Water Act (page 33)
DDT – Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (page 141)
EPA – Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov)
EPCRA – Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (page 81)

7
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

ERG – Emergency Response Guidebook (page 60)

ESA – Environmental Site Assessment (page 56)
FIFRA – Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (page 62)
HAP – Hazardous Air Pollutant (page 48)
HAZMAT – Hazardous Material (page 59)
HAZCOM – Hazard Communication (page 21)
HAZWOPER – Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (page 71)
HMTA – Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (page 21)
IDLH – Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (page 145)
ISO – International Organization for Standardization (page 56)
LAER – Lowest Achievable Emissions Rate (page 48)
LBP – Lead-Based Paint (page 162)
LC50 – Median Lethal Concentration (page 113)
LD50 – Median Lethal Dose (page 113)
LDR – Land Disposal Restriction (page 53)
LOAEL – Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level (page 114)
LQG – Large Quantity Generator (page 87)
MACT – Maximum Available Control Technology (page 48)
MCL – Maximum Contaminant Level (page 38)
MSDS/SDS – Material Safety Data Sheet (page 116)
NAAQS – National Ambient Air Quality Standards (page 47)
NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act (page 64)
NESHAP – National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (page 49)
NOAEL – No Observed Adverse Effect Level (page 113)
NPDES – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (page 38)
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (www.osha.com)
PCB – Polychlorinated Biphenyl (page 135)

8
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

PM – Particulate Matter (page 119)

POTW – Publicly Owned Treatment Works (page 40)
PPA/P2 – Pollution Prevention Act (page 77)
PPE – Personal Protective Equipment (page 145)
PRP – Potentially Responsible Party (page 81)
PSD – Prevention of Significant Deterioration (page 48)
RACT – Reasonably Available Control Technology (page 48)
RCRA – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (page 52)
REC – Recognized Environmental Condition (page 57)
RQ – Reportable Quantity (page 40)
SARA – Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (page 81)
SCBA – Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (page 146)
SDWA – Safe Drinking Water Act (page 33)
SPCC – Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (page 44)
SQG – Small Quantity Generator (page 87)
TSCA – Toxic Substances Control Act (page 81)
TSDF - Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (page 53)
TSS – Total Suspended Solids (page 32)
UIC – Underground Injection Control (page 42)
UST – Underground Storage Tank (page 53)
XRF – X-Ray Fluorescent (page 160)

9
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

IHMM Code of Ethics

The IHMM Code of Ethics sets forth the ethical principles to be observed by
IHMM Certificants. IHMM Certificants shall, in their professional activities,
sustain and advance the integrity and honor of the practice of hazardous
materials management / health and safety by adherence to this Code of
Ethics. IHMM Certificants who violate any provision of the Code of Ethics will
be subject to disciplinary action by a peer review panel, which may result in
suspension or revocation of the credential.
An IHMM Certificant shall practice in a manner consistent with all applicable
laws and regulations; shall demonstrate integrity, honesty, and fairness in all
activities; and shall strive for excellence in all matters of ethical conduct. The
designations held by the certificant may not be used by anyone for any
purpose that is untruthful, misleading, or in violation of any law or
government regulation. An IHMM Certificant must approach other individuals
with the requisite professional balance of knowledge, skill, experience, and
professionalism in the conduct of all professional activities, and in a manner
free of bias with regard to religion, ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, or
disability.
An IHMM Certificant’s primary responsibility is to protect the public and the
environment. All actions taken on behalf of a client or employer must be
consistent with this primary responsibility. The interests of individual clients
and employers must be secondary to protecting public health and safety,
national security, and the environment.
An IHMM Certificant shall act with integrity in any relationship that involves
an employer or client. An IHMM Certificant has an obligation to disclose fully
to an affected employer or client any conflicts of interest resulting from
business affiliations or personal interests, and to maintain the security and
confidentiality of an employer’s or client’s confidential information.
An IHMM Certificant shall represent his or her qualifications honestly, and
shall function only within his or her area and level of competence. An IHMM
Certificant is expected to judge objectively his or her own level of
competence, and to function within that level of personal confidence and

10
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

professional expertise. When An IHMM Certificant is expected by a client or

employer to function outside of his or her area or level of competence, the
IHMM Certificant must seek appropriate expertise, or suggest that the client
or employer find a qualified person.
An IHMM Certificant shall behave with professional decorum and restraint,
and shall not exhibit conduct that brings discredit on IHMM’s Certification
Programs. The IHMM Certificant is a professional and must conduct
themselves accordingly.
An IHMM Certificant shall comply with and uphold all policies, procedures,
guidelines, and requirements of IHMM; shall use their designations only as
authorized by IHMM; shall acknowledge that the certificate and marks are
the property of IHMM; and shall return the certificate and discontinue use of
the designation and marks when required to do so by IHMM.
An IHMM Certificant shall accept responsibility for maintaining the credential
through recertification, shall remain current in the field, and shall
continuously uphold the Code of Ethics.
The IHMM Certificant acknowledges that IHMM’s Certification designations
and acronyms are registered trademarks of the Institute of Hazardous
Materials Management, and that he or she is authorized to use these
designations only so long as the certification has not expired, been
suspended, revoked or voluntarily relinquished, or converted to the Inactive
or Emeritus status.
The IHMM Certificant acknowledges that authorized use of Certification
designations and acronyms as described in this section does not include the
right to use the logo of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management
without express written permission from IHMM. An IHMM Certificant shall
voluntarily and immediately report any felony convictions or other legal or
disciplinary dispositions that would constitute violations of this Code of Ethics
that have not already been disclosed to IHMM, regardless of when they
occur.

11
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

12
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

BASIC SCIENCE

1. Absorption vs. Adsorption. Absorption engulfs the sampled atoms

or molecules passing in the airstream and further retains them inside the
sampling media volume, not on the surface. Adsorption (or adherence) is the
retention of the gaseous substance, remaining chemically unchanged on the
surface of the sorbent (the best example is activated charcoal retaining
organic vapors).

Note: Activated charcoal uses adsorption to collect organic vapors (OV) for
later laboratory extraction and analysis. If the charcoal is left in the heat, the
OV will desorb.

2. What is sublimation? Sublimation is the process in which a

substance changes from the solid-state directly to the gas state (without
going through a liquid state). The best example of sublimation is dry ice (solid
CO2) used in packaging, changing directly to atmospheric gas without going
through the liquid state. Carbon dioxide also inhibits bacterial growth and
lowers the pH of preserved food.

3. What is advection? In environmental sciences, advection is the

transport of matter by bulk motion while maintaining the properties of the
substance that is carried. Generally, fluids are the majority of advected
substances. For example, when a warm airmass displaces a colder airmass,
we have “warm air advection.”

4. What are corrosive substances? Corrosive substances have the

capability of destroying living tissue and have a critical effect on combustible
materials. Corrosive substances are generally acids (like hydrochloric acid,
sulfuric acid, nitric acid, chromic acid, acetic acid, and hydrofluoric acid) or
bases (like potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide).

13
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

5. What is a water-reactive chemical? Water-reactive chemicals are

substances that undergo a chemical reaction when exposed to water or
moist air and produce either flammable or poisonous gas. Well-known water-
reactive chemicals are sodium, potassium, lithium metals, and aluminum
alkyls.

6. What is the flashpoint? The flashpoint is the lowest temperature at

which an evaporating flammable liquid produces enough vapors on its
surface to briefly ignite or “flash” on exposure to an open flame. OSHA
requires 6 (six) room changes per hour for the ventilation system (gravity or
a mechanical exhausting) of a flammable liquid storage room.

Note: Because nearly all flammable liquids vapors are heavier than air, vents
should be placed slightly above the floor (to prevent an actual liquid spill
outside the containment area). Also, we must consider that electric switches
can act as ignition sources.

7. What is the fire point? The fire point is the lowest temperature at
which a substance will give off enough vapor that will burn for at least 5
seconds after ignition, even if the source of ignition is removed. The fire point
is usually a few degrees above the flashpoint.

Note: Autoignition temperature is the temperature at which an ignition source

is not needed for ignition. The autoignition temperature is higher than the
flashpoint. Gasoline has a flashpoint of -45°F, a fire point of -43°F, and an
auto-ignition temperature of 536°F.

8. What is the flammable range temperature? The Flammable Range

(also called Explosive Range) is the percentage of the gas or vapor
concentration range in the air that will burn if an ignition source is introduced.

9. What is dispersion? In environmental sciences, dispersion in a

medium can be mechanical or molecular. Mechanical dispersion in a
medium (similar to turbulence) is caused by individual particles migrating on
different flow paths, like pollutant transport through soil pores. In molecular
dispersion, the dispersed phase consists of individual molecules that are
homogeneously distributed throughout the dispersion medium (or solvent),
like air is a molecular mixture of O2, N2, CO2, and other gases.

14
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

10. What are oxidizers? Oxidizers can be any solid, liquid, or gas that
readily react with flammable materials, and they are a severe fire hazard.
Oxidizers increase the burning pace of combustibles and can cause
combustibles to ignite spontaneously. Examples of oxidizers are Perchlorate,
Permanganate, Peroxide, Chromate, Chlorate, Nitrate, Fluorine, Chlorine,
Oxygen, Ozone, Sulfuric Acid, Hydrogen Peroxide, Perchloric Acid,
Hypochlorous Acid, Bromine, Lead Dioxide, Metallic Iodates, Metal
Chlorates.

Note: Oxidizers generally have "per" prefixes, and they end in "ate."

11. How do impurities affect the melting point of a material? When a

material is contaminated with impurities, the melting point will be lower
because it takes less energy to disrupt the crystal lattice when impurities are
present. This property is often used as an easy method to assess purity
roughly.

Note: Impurities increase the boiling point, in most cases. For example,
seawater at sea level boils at 102 0C instead of 100 0C of purified water. This
happens because the impurities decrease the number of water molecules
available to become vaporized during boiling.

12. What is the difference between biomagnification and

bioaccumulation? Bioaccumulation implies the accumulation of a toxic
chemical in tissue, like DDT and PCBs that are stored in fatty tissues or
mercury building up in fish. Biomagnification is the increase of the chemicals
in the natural food chain as contaminated food species are eaten, like fish
consumers that have high mercury in the bloodstream from seafood sources.

Note: Bioconcentration is used in the field of aquatic toxicology and is the

process in which the chemical concentration in an aquatic organism
surpasses the chemical’s concentration in water.

13. What is the difference between a homogeneous and a

heterogeneous mixture? A mixture is a material that contains two or more
different components which can be separated by a physical process like
density or solubility differences. Mixtures can be solutions, suspensions, or
colloids.

15
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

A. Homogenous mixtures have their components uniformly distribute

through its volume, is difficult to separate them, and you cannot distinguish
its components. A homogeneous solution is easy to sample because it tends
to be identical everywhere, no matter where you take the sample from.

B. Heterogeneous mixtures have non-uniform composition and are easy

to separate, like oil and water. Heterogeneous mixtures are challenging to
sample, and usually, different samples from the mixture are not identical to
each other.

14. What is the Octanol-Water Partitioning Coefficient? The n-octanol-

water partition coefficient (Kow) measures the distribution of a chemical
between a water and octanol (organic phase) at a specified temperature.
Simply stated, Kow measures the relationship between fat solubility
(lipophilicity) and water solubility (hydrophilicity) of a chemical. The smaller
the Kow, the more soluble the chemical is in water. Chemicals with high Kow
values have a high potential to bio-concentrate in living organisms.

Note: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners are non-polar

compounds with log Kow>4 that bioconcentrate in fatty tissue.

15. What are estuaries? Estuaries are a very complex ecosystem,

partially enclosed between river environments and maritime environments
where fresh & saltwater mix representing a transition zone known as an
ecotone. Estuaries are mouths of rivers, bays, wetlands, salt marshes, and
lagoons and are influenced by tides & currents. Estuaries can be easily
polluted by the waste found in the stormwater run-off of industrial,
agricultural, and horticultural developments near the shoreline.

16. What are wetlands? EPA defines wetlands as “areas that are
inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and
duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do
support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil
conditions.” Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar
areas.

17. Why aquatic macroinvertebrates absence or presence gives an

indication of water quality? Aquatic macroinvertebrates are bottom-
dwelling (benthic) and useful indicators of the overall health of a river or
stream. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are visible to the naked eye and are
16
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

affected by the chemical, physical, and biological conditions of the water

quality in a stream. Aquatic macroinvertebrates cannot escape pollution
because they live on the bottom (some are intolerant of pollution, while
others thrive in polluted water) and show short or cumulative pollution effects.

18. What is reverse osmosis (RO)? RO is a water purification process

that uses a partially permeable membrane to separate unwanted
contaminants from drinking water. The water is transferred across a
selectively permeable membrane against the concentration gradient by
applied pressure.

Note: RO is used to treat contaminated water where pressure is used to force

just the water molecules through the selectively permeable membrane,
leaving behind a contaminated and concentrated slurry that is disposed of as
hazardous waste. The RO systems produce exceptionally clean water but
are expensive to install, maintain, and operate.

19. What is Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)? AMD forms when water flows
through rocks containing sulfur-bearing minerals (like pyrite), resulting in a
highly acidic effluent. AMD can be devastating for the aquatic life in rivers
and streams.

20. What do we learn from Raoult’s law? Raoult’s law states that the
vapor pressure of an ideal solution is equal to the sum of the vapor pressure
of each volatile pure component’s mole fraction. Based on Raoult's law, by
adding a non-volatile solute to a volatile solvent, we lower the vapor pressure
and increase the boiling point.

21. What is the relationship between mass and moles? What is the
volume of 10 grams of N2 at normal pressure and temperature (NTP)? And
how many molecules does it contain?

Knowing that the molar volume at 250C and 1 atm is 24.45 L, and 1 mole of
N2 weighs 28 grams.

1 mole 24.45 L
10 grams ∗ ∗ ≅ 8.73 L
28 gram mole

17
CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE, 2021 Farcas, Hammond & Cena

The Full Version of CHMM EXAM ESSENTIAL PRACTICE

SIMPLY AND THOROUGHLY EXPLAINED is available for
purchase on Amazon at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N9BYB7D

18