Water and Wastewater Terms Beginning S

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

substrate

1. The base on which an organism lives. The soil is the substrate of most seed plants; rocks, soil, water, or other plants or animals are substrates for other organisms.
2. Chemical used by an organism to support growth. The organic matter in wastewater is a substrate for the organisms in activated sludge.