Acronyms

AACO	Army Aviation Centre Oakey
AA-QS	annual average quality standards
ADONA	trade name for 4,8-dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoate
AERMOD	American Meteorological Society/EPA Regulatory Model
AFCEC	Air Force Civil Engineering Center
AFFF	aqueous film-forming foam
ALT	alanine aminotransferase
amu	atomic mass unit
ANSES	French National Agency for Food Safety, Environment and Labor
ANSI	American National Standards Institute
AOF	adsorbable organic fluorine
APFN	ammonium perfluoronanoate
APFO	ammonium perfluorooctanoate
ARAR	applicable or relevant and appropriate requirement
AM	arithmetic mean
ARP	advanced reduction processes
ATSDR	Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
AWQC	ambient water quality criteria
BAF	bioaccumulation factor
BARC	bottom antireflective coatings
BBMD	Bayesian benchmark dose
BCF	bioconcentration factor
BERA	baseline ecological risk assessment
BMD	benchmark dose
BMF	biomagnification factor
BMP	best management practices
BOHP	Bi₃O(OH)(PO₄)₂
BSAF	biota-sediment accumulation factor
BuFASA	N-butyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide
BuFASE	N-butyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanols
BuFASAA	N-butyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido acetic acid
BV	bed volume
BW	body weight
C	carbon
C8	historical name for PFOA
C&D	construction and demolition
CAA	Clean Air Act
CAC	colloidal activated carbon
CalEPA	California Environmental Protection Agency
CAP	chemical action plan, or corrective action plan
CAS	Chemical Abstracts Service
CBPR	community-based participatory research
CCL	Contaminant Candidate List
CCV	continuing calibration verification
CDC	U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CERCLA	Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
CFR	Code of Federal Regulations
CHP	catalyzed hydrogen peroxide
CIC	combustion ion chromatography
CIMS	chemical ionization mass spectrometry
CL	clearance factor
CMC	critical micelle concentrations
CNT	carbon nanotube
COOH	carboxylic acid functional group
CSF	cancer slope factor
CSM	conceptual site model
CWA	Clean Water Act
Da	Dalton (unit of mass)
DDT	dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane
DIN EN	Deutsches Institut für Normung, German Institute for Standardization, English
DMSO	dimethyl sulfoxide
DNAPL	dense nonaqueous phase liquid
DOC	dissolved organic carbon
DQO	data quality objective
DW	drinking water
DWR	durable water repellent
EAO	emergency administrative order
EBCT	empty bed contact time
ECCC	Environment and Climate Change Canada
ECF	electrochemical fluorination
ECHA	European Chemicals Agency
ECOS	Environmental Council of the States
ECT	Emerging Compound Treatment Technologies, Inc.
EIS	extraction internal standards
ELG	effluent limitation guidelines
EPC	exposure point concentration
ERA	ecological risk assessment
ERB	equipment rinse blank
ESS	Environmental Sequence Stratigraphy
ESTCP	Environmental Security Technology Certification Program
EtFASA	N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide
EtFASE	N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanol (var: N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide ethanol)
EtFASAA	N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido acetic acid (var: N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide acetic acid)
ETFE	ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
EtFOSA	N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide
EtFOSE	N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido ethanol (var: N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanol)
EU	European Union
F	fluorine
F-53B	chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (PFOS substitute for plating)
F3	fluorine-free foams
FAA	Federal Aviation Administration
FAQ	frequently asked questions
FASA	perfluoroalkane sulfonamide
FASE	perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanol (var: perfluoroalkane sulfonamide ethanol)
FASAA	perfluoroalkane sulfonamido acetic acid (var: perfluoroalkane sulfonamide acetic acid)
FCM	food contact materials
FCS	food contact substances
FD	field duplicate
FDA	U.S. Food and Drug Administration
FEC	Foam Exposure Committee
FECA	fluorinated ether carboxylate
FEP	perfluorinated ethylene-propylene
FFFC	Fire Fighting Foam Coalition
FFFP	film-forming fluoroprotein foam
FhxSA	perfluorohexane sulfonamide
f_oc	fraction of organic carbon
FOSA, or PFOSA	perfluorooctane sulfonamide
FOSE	perfluorooctane sulfonamido ethanol (var: perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanol)
FOSAA	perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (var: perfluorooctane sulfonamide acetic acid)
FP	fluoroprotein (used in the contex of firefighting foam formulations that contain a fluorinated surfactant)
FRB	field reagent blank
FRM	Federal Reference Method
FSANZ	Food Standards Australia and New Zealand
fT4	free thyroxine
FTA	fire training area
FTCA	fluorotelomer carboxylic acid
FT-ICR	Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance
FTOH	fluorotelomer alcohol
FTSA or FTS	fluorotelomer sulfonate, fluorotelomer sulfonic acid
FtTAoS	fluorotelomer thioether amido sulfonate
FTUCA	fluorotelomer unsaturated carboxylic acid
FWQC	federal water quality goal
GAC	granular activated carbon
GC	gas chromatography
GC/MS	Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
GEF	Global Environment Facility
GenX	trade name for a polymerization processing aid formulation that contains ammonium 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)propanoate
GLI	Great Lakes Initiative
GM	geometric mean
GMAV	genus mean acute value
HA	health advisory
HDPE	high-density polyethylene
HFPO-DA	hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid
HHRA	human health risk assessment
HI	hazard index
HQ	hazard quotient
HRMS	high-resolution mass spectrometry
IARC	International Agency for Research on Cancer
ICAO	International Civil Aviation Organization
ICV	initial calibration verification
IDA	isotope dilution analysis
IDW	investigation-derived waste
IPEN	International Pollutants Elimination Network
IRIS	Integrated Risk Information System
ITRC	Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council
IX	ion exchange
K_d	bulk partitioning coefficient
K_oc	organic carbon partitioning coefficent
K_ow	water/octanol coefficient
LC	liquid chromatography
LC/MS/MS	liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry
LCS	lab control sample
LDPE	low-density polyethylene
LEAF	Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework
LHA	lifetime health advisory
LHWA	Little Hocking Water Association
LNAPL	light nonaqueous phase liquid
LOAEL	lowest observed adverse effect level
LOEC	lowest observed effect concentration
LOQ	limit of quantitation
MA DEP	Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
MAC-QS	maximum acceptable quality standards
MALDI-TOF	matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight
MCL	Maximum Contaminant Level
MDH	Minnesota Department of Health
MeFASA	N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide
MeFASE	N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanol (var: N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide ethanol)
MeFASAA	N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido acetic acid (var: N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide acetic acid)
MeFOSA	N-methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide
MEP	Multiple Extraction Procedure
ML	method limit
MOA	mode of action
MPCA	Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
MRL	minimum risk level, or minimum reporting limit (laboratory analytical)
MRM	multiple reaction monitoring
MS	mass spectrometry
MSD	matrix spike duplicate
MSW	municipal solid waste
MWCO	molecular weight cut-off
NaPFO	sodium perfluorooctanoate
NAPL	nonaqueous phase liquid
NCOD	National Contaminant Occurrence Database
NER	non-extractable residues
NESHAP	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
nEtFOSA	N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide
NF	nanofiltration
NFPA	National Fire Protection Association
NGWA	National Groundwater Association
NHANES	National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
NHDES	New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
NJ DEP	New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
NJDWQI	New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute
NMeFOSAA	N-Methylperfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid
NOAEL	no observed adverse effect level
NOEC	no observed effect concentration
NOM	natural organic matter
NOx	nitrogen oxides
NPCA	Norwegian Pollution Control Agency
NPDES	National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPL	National Priorities List
NSF	National Sanitation Foundation
NTP	National Toxicology Program
NWQC	national water quality criteria
NYDEC	New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
O&M	operation and maintenance
OAT	organic anion transporter protein
OC	organic carbon
OECD	Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
OEHHA	Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (California)
OH	hydroxide ion, or hydroxyl group (Helmenstine 2018)
ORD	Office of Research and Development (USEPA)
OSB	oriented strand board
PAB	permeable absorptive barrier
PA DEP	Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
PAC	powdered activated carbon
PAF	perfluoroalkanoyl fluorides
PAH	polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
PASF	perfluoroalkane sulfonyl fluoride
PBSF	perfluorobutane sulfonyl fluoride
PBT	persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic
PCA	principal components analysis
PCBs	polychlorinated biphenyls
PFA	perfluoroalkoxy polymer
PFAA	perfluoroalkyl acid
PFAI	perfluoroalkyl iodides
PFAS	per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
PFBA	perfluorobutanoate, perfluorobutanoic acid, perfluorobutyrate, perfluorobutyric acid
PFBS	perfluorobutane sulfonate, perfluorobutane sulfonic acid
PFC	perfluorocarbon (C_nF_2n+1, for example, perfluorooctane) Do not use this acronym for any other description including perfluorinated compound or perfluorochemical.
PFCA	perfluoroalkyl carboxylate, perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid
PFDA	perfluorodecanoate, perfluorodecanoic acid
PFDoA, or PFDoDA	perfluorododecanoate, perfluorododecanoic acid
PFDoS, or PFDoDS	perfluorododecane sulfonate, perfluorododecane sulfonic acid
PFDS	perfluorodecane sulfonate, perfluorodecane sulfonic acid
PFECA	per- or polyfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acid
PFEI	perfluoroethyl iodide (aka fluorotelomer iodide)
PFESA	per- or poly- fluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acid
PFHpA	perfluoroheptanoate, perfluoroheptanoic acid
PFHpS	perfluoroheptane sulfonate, perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid
PFHxA	perfluorohexanoate, perfluorohexanoic acid
PFHxS	perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid
PFMOAA	perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid
PFNA	perfluorononanoate, perfluorononanoic acid
PFNS	perfluorononane sulfonate, perfluorononane sulfonic acid
PFOA	perfluorooctanoate, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane carboxylate
PFOS	perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
PFOSA, or FOSA	perfluorooctane sulfonamide
PFPA	perfluorophosphonic acid
PFPE	perfluoropolyether
PFPeA	perfluoropentanoate, perfluoropentanoic acid
PFPeS	perfluoropentane sulfonate, perfluoropentane sulfonic acid
PFPiA	perfluorophosphinic acid
PFSA	perfluoroalkyl sulfonate, perfluoroalkane sulfonic acid
PFSiA	perfluoroalkyl sulfinic acid
PFTeDA, or PFTA	perfluorotetradecanoic acid
PFTeDS, or PFTS	perfluorotetradecane sulfonate, perfluorotetradecane sulfonic acid
PFTrDA, or PFTriA	perfluorotridecanoic acid
PFTrDS, or PFTriS	perfluorotridecane sulfonate, perfluorotridecane sulfonic acid
PFUnA, or PFUnDA	perfluoroundecanoate, perfluoroundecanoic acid
PFUnS, or PFUnDS	perfluoroundecane sulfonate, perfluoroundecane sulfonic acid
pg/m³	picogram per cubic meter
pH	negative log of hydrogen ion concentration (measure of acidity)
PHxSF	perfluorohexane sulfonyl fluoride
PICs	products of incomplete combustion
PIGE	partice-induced gamma-ray emission spectroscopy
PIH	pregnancy-induced hypertension
PILI	polymer with ionic liquid coated iron
PNEC	predicted no-effect concentration
POD	porewater observation device
POE	point of exposure
POET	point of entry treatment
polyDADMAC	Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride
POP	persistent organic pollutant
POPRC-14	14th meeting of the POPs Review Committee
POSF	perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride
POU	point of use
PPAR-α	peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α
ppb	parts per billion
PPE	personal protective equipment
ppm	parts per million
ppt	parts per trillion
PPRTV	Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values
PSA	prostate-specific antigen
PTFE	polytetrafluoroethylene
PUF	polyurethane foam
PVDF	polyvinylidene fluoride
PWS	public water system
QAPP	quality assurance project plan
QC	quality control
QL	quantitation limit
QPD	qualified products database
QPL	Qualified Product Listing
QSAR	quantitative structure-activity relationship
QSM	Quality Systems Manual
qTOF/MS	quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry
RCRA	Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
REACH	European Chemicals Regulation
RfD	reference dose
RIVM	Netherlands National Institue for Public Health and the Environment
RL	reporting limit
RML	removal management level
RO	reverse osmosis
RPD	relative percent difference
RPF	relative potency factor
RSC	relative source contribution
RSL	regional screening level (Note: In many commercial venues RSL means “restricted substances list.”)
RSSCT	rapid small-scale column testing
s.d. or SD	standard deviation
SDS	Safety Data Sheet
SDWA	Safe Drinking Water Act
SERDP	Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program
SIP	sorbent-impregnated polyurethane foam
SL	screening level
SMART	specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely (goal)
SMAV	species mean acute value
SML	surface micro layer
SMZ	surface-modified zeolites
SNUR	Significant New Use Rule
SPE	solid-phase extraction
SPLP	Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure
SSD	species sensitivity distribution
STAR	Spill Tactics for Alaska Responders
TANA	Technical Assistance Needs Assessments
TARC	top-layer antireflective coatings
TBC	to-be-considered values
TCEQ	Texas Commission for Environmental Quality
TCLP	Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure
TDS	total dissolved solids
TEQ	toxic equivalency quotient
TFE	tetrafluoroethylene
TMDL	total maximum daily loads
TMF	trophic magnification factor
TO	Toxic Organic (method)
TOC	total organic carbon
TOF	time-of-flight
TOP	total oxidizable precursor
TRRP	Texas Risk Reduction Program
TRV	toxicity reference value
TSH	Thyroid-stimulating hormones
TSCA	Toxic Substances Control Act
TTDs	target organ toxicity doses
UCMR	Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule
UF	ultrafiltration
mg/kg	micrograms per kilogram
UL	Underwriters Laboratories
U.S.C.	United States Code
USDOD	United States Department of Defense
USEPA	United States Environmental Protection Agency
USGS	United States Geological Survey
VDEC	Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
VDH	Vermont Department of Health
VOC	volatile organic compound
WV	wildlife value
ww	wet weight
WWTP	wastewater treatment plant
ZVI	zero-valent iron

Updated May 2021.

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