Cheat sheet
FE Environmental Cheat Sheet
Math, Ethics, Economics
- 20-25% of exam
- Statistics Engineering Economics NCEES Model Rules Materials Science Calculator Rules
Water and Chemistry
- 35-40% of exam
- pH and Alkalinity BOD Kinetics Activated Sludge Streeter-Phelps Reactor Picker
Air and Waste
- 20-25% of exam
- NAAQS Criteria Gaussian Plume RCRA Subtitles TCLP Lists Waste Class Picker
Risk and EHS
- 15-20% of exam
- EPA Risk Paradigm HQ and Cancer Risk Hierarchy of Controls LEED v4.1 Sustainability
Quick Facts
- Exam FE Environmental
- Questions 110 MC
- Time 5h 20m
- Pass Scaled score
- Fee $175 NCEES
- Handbook On-screen PDF
- Areas 12 knowledge areas
- Provider Pearson VUE
Math and Statistics FU
- t-test slope b divided by s_b
- Half-life ln2 over k
- CI formula x-bar plus t s
- Log-normal Ln transform first
- Complement One minus P none
- Regression Fit line to data
Ethics and Economics FU
- Public safety Paramount canon
- Conflict interest Disclose and avoid
- PW formula Present worth
- B/C ratio Benefits over costs
- AW analysis Annual worth
- Inflation Adjust future dollars
CSTR vs PFR WA
CSTR
- Complete mixing
- Uniform concentration
- Lower efficiency
PFR
- Plug flow
- Concentration gradient
- Higher efficiency
- Mixed vs plug
Reactor Picker WA
- Complete mixing → CSTR ( Same exit conc )
- Plug flow → PFR ( No backmix )
- First-order decay → Exp model ( C over C0 )
- BOD in river → Streeter-Phelps ( DO sag )
- Biological treatment → Activated sludge ( SRT key )
- High quality effluent → MBR ( Membrane barrier )
- Organics in water → GAC ( Adsorption )
- Salt removal → RO ( Membrane pressure )
Environmental Chemistry WA
- pH Negative log H plus
- Alkalinity Acid neutralizing capacity
- BOD Oxygen demand microbes
- k BOD First-order decay rate
- Monod Microbial growth model
- Henry's law Gas liquid partition
- Hardness Ca and Mg ions
- Stoichiometry Mole balance reactions
BOD vs COD WA
BOD
- Biodegradable oxygen
- 5-day test
- Biological treatment
COD
- Chemical oxidation
- Faster test
- Includes nonbiodegradable
- Bio vs chemical
Water Resources WA
- Manning Open channel flow
- Rational Q C times i times A
- Darcy Groundwater flux
- Theis Transient well drawdown
- Streeter-Phelps DO sag curve
- Reaeration K_a oxygen transfer
- Hydraulic head Elevation plus pressure
SRT vs HRT WA
SRT
- Solids retention
- Biomass age
- Nitrification control
HRT
- Hydraulic retention
- Flow volume time
- Reactor sizing
- Solids vs hydraulic
Water and Wastewater WA
- SOR Surface overflow rate
- CT rule Disinfection contact time
- SRT Solids retention time
- F:M ratio Food to mass
- MLSS Mixed liquor solids
- GAC Granular activated carbon
- MBR Membrane bioreactor
- TTHM MCL 0.080 mg per L
RCRA Lists AI
- F non-specific K industry P acute U toxic
- F: nonspecific source K: specific industry P: acute discarded U: toxic discarded
NAAQS vs NESHAP AI
NAAQS
- Criteria pollutants
- Ambient standards
- Six pollutants
NESHAP
- HAP emissions
- Source standards
- Technology based
- Ambient vs source
Waste Class Picker AI
- Listed F/K/P/U → Hazardous ( RCRA listed )
- Fails TCLP → Hazardous ( D-code char )
- Passes TCLP → Nonhazardous ( Subtitle D )
- Subtitle C disposal → Double liner ( LDR rules )
- Municipal trash → Subtitle D ( MSW landfill )
- Underground tank leak → UST program ( Subtitle I )
- Ship off-site → Manifest ( EPA form )
- Criteria exceedance → NAAQS review ( Attainment check )
Air Quality AI
- NAAQS Criteria pollutant limits
- PM2.5 9 ug per m3 annual
- Gaussian plume Dispersion model
- AP-42 EPA emission factors
- ESP Electrostatic precipitator
- Baghouse Fabric filter collector
- SCR Selective catalytic reduction
RCRA Sub C vs D AI
Subtitle C
- Hazardous waste
- Craddle to grave
- Strict tracking
Subtitle D
- Municipal solid waste
- State programs
- Landfill design
- Hazardous vs MSW
Solid and Hazardous Waste AI
- RCRA Sub C Hazardous waste rules
- RCRA Sub D Nonhazardous solid waste
- TCLP Leachability test
- F-list Non-specific sources
- K-list Specific industry sources
- P/U-list Discarded commercial chem
- LDR Land disposal restrictions
- Manifest Cradle to grave tracking
EPA Risk Steps RI
- Hazard Dose Exposure Characterize
- Step 1: hazard ID Step 2: dose-response Step 3: exposure Step 4: characterize
HQ vs Cancer Risk RI
HQ
- Noncancer endpoint
- CDI over RfD
- HQ less than 1
Cancer risk
- Slope factor model
- Lifetime probability
- 1E-6 target
- Noncancer vs cancer
Risk Assessment RI
- Hazard ID Step one EPA paradigm
- Dose-response Step two toxicity
- CDI Chronic daily intake
- HQ Hazard quotient
- RfD Reference dose
- Slope factor Cancer potency
- Target risk 1E-6 to 1E-4
Controls Hierarchy RI
- Eliminate Substitute Engineer Admin PPE
- Best: eliminate Engineering controls Admin work rules PPE last resort
Sustainability and EHS RI
- Triple bottom line People planet profit
- ISO 14040 LCA framework
- GWP Global warming potential
- LEED v4.1 Green building rating
- PEL OSHA exposure limit
- Hierarchy controls Eliminate first
- EPCRA TRI Toxic release reporting
Common Traps
CSTR vs PFR
- CSTR fully mixed ≠ PFR plug flow
BOD vs COD
- BOD is biological ≠ COD is chemical
SRT vs HRT
- SRT is biomass age ≠ HRT is flow time
NAAQS vs NESHAP
- NAAQS ambient air ≠ NESHAP source HAP
HQ vs cancer
- HQ uses RfD ≠ Cancer uses slope
Subtitle C vs D
- C is hazardous ≠ D is municipal MSW
Last Minute
- 1. 110 Q in 5h 20m total
- 2. Handbook on-screen only
- 3. Casio FX-115 or TI-36X
- 4. Water/wastewater heaviest weight
- 5. BOD half-life = ln2/k
- 6. Streeter-Phelps for DO sag
- 7. PM2.5 NAAQS = 9 ug/m3
- 8. TCLP fail = hazardous waste
- 9. HQ = CDI/RfD; target <1
- 10. Eliminate hazard before PPE
FE Environmental
- Practice Questions 100 questions Study Guide 40 topics Cheat Sheet 64 facts Flashcards 50 cards Shorts 1 short 1 Job Wiki Free CE Podcast