Water and Wastewater Terms Beginning D

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

desiccator (DESS-uh-kay-tor)

A closed container into which heated weighing or drying dishes are placed to cool in a dry environment in preparation for weighing. The dishes may be empty or they may contain a sample. Desiccators contain a substance (desiccant), such as anhydrous calcium chloride, that absorbs moisture and keeps the relative humidity near zero so that the dish or sample will not gain weight from absorbed moisture.