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 |
| AmPr-FHxSA | N-dimethyl ammonio propyl perfluorohexane sulfonamide |
| amu | atomic mass unit |
| ANSES | French National Agency for Food Safety, Environment and Labor |
| ANSI | American National Standards Institute |
| AOF | adsorbable organic fluorine |
| APC | air pollution control |
| APFN | ammonium perfluoronanoate |
| APFO | ammonium perfluorooctanoate |
| ARAR | applicable or relevant and appropriate requirement |
| AM | arithmetic mean |
| ANPRM | Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| ARP | advanced reduction processes |
| ATSDR | Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry |
| AWI | Air-water interface |
| AWQC | ambient water quality criteria |
| BAF | bioaccumulation factor |
| BARC | bottom antireflective coatings |
| BAT | best available technology economically achievable |
| BBMD | Bayesian benchmark dose |
| BCF | bioconcentration factor |
| BERA | baseline ecological risk assessment |
| bgs | below ground surface |
| 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 |
| CAPEX | capital expenses |
| 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 |
| ClPFPECA | chloroperfluoropolyether carboxylate |
| 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 |
| diPAPs | polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid diesters |
| DMSO | dimethyl sulfoxide |
| DNAPL | dense nonaqueous phase liquid |
| DOC | dissolved organic carbon |
| DQO | data quality objective |
| DRE | destruction and removal efficiency |
| 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. |
| EE/CA | Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis |
| 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 |
| EtFOSAA | 2-(N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide) acetic acid |
| 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) |
| FBSA | perfluorobutane sulfonamide |
| 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 |
| foc | 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 |
| HALT | hydrothermal alkaline treatment |
| HASP | Health and Safety Plan |
| 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 |
| HRSC | High-resolution site characterization |
| 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 |
| Kd | bulk partitioning coefficient |
| Koc | organic carbon partitioning coefficent |
| Kow | water/octanol coefficient |
| LC | liquid chromatography |
| LC/MS/MS | liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry |
| LCS | lab control sample |
| LCPFAC | long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylate |
| 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 |
| MeFOSAA | 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide) acetic acid |
| MEP | Multiple Extraction Procedure |
| MGD | million gallons per day |
| ML | method limit |
| MNA | monitored natural attenuation |
| MOA | mode of action |
| MPCA | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency |
| MRL | minimal 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 |
| NAM | new assessment method |
| NaPFO | sodium perfluorooctanoate |
| NAPL | nonaqueous phase liquid |
| NCOD | National Contaminant Occurrence Database |
| NER | non-extractable residues |
| NESHAP | National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants |
| N-EtFBSE | N-Ethylperfluorobutanesulfonamidoethanol |
| N-EtFHxSE | N-Ethylperfluorohexanesulfonamidoethanol |
| N-EtFOSA | N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide |
| N-EtFOSE | N-Ethylperfluorohexanesulfonamidethanol |
| N-MeFBSE | N-Methylperfluorobutanesulfonamidoethanol |
| N-MeFHxSE | N-Methylperfluorohexanesulfonamidoethanol |
| N-MeFOSE | N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol |
| 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 |
| NPDWRs | National Primary Drinking Water Regulations |
| 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 |
| OCPSF | organic chemicals, plastics and synthetic fibers |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
| OEHHA | Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (California) |
| OH | hydroxide ion, or hydroxyl group (Helmenstine 2018) |
| OPEX | operating expenses |
| ORD | Office of Research and Development (USEPA) |
| OSB | oriented strand board |
| OU | operable unit |
| PAB | permeable absorptive barrier |
| PA DEP | Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection |
| PAC | powdered activated carbon |
| PAF | perfluoroalkanoyl fluorides |
| PAH | polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon |
| PAPs | polyfluorinated phosphate esters |
| PASF | perfluoroalkane sulfonyl fluoride |
| PBSF | perfluorobutane sulfonyl fluoride |
| PBT | persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic |
| PCA | principal components analysis |
| PCBs | polychlorinated biphenyls |
| PCE | perchloroethylene, tetrachloroethene |
| PE | performance evaluation |
| PFA | perfluoroalkoxy polymer |
| PFAA | perfluoroalkyl acid |
| PFAI | perfluoroalkyl iodides |
| PFAS | per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances |
| PFBA | perfluorobutanoate, perfluorobutanoic acid, perfluorobutyrate, perfluorobutyric acid |
| PFBE | perfluorobutyl ethylene |
| PFBS | perfluorobutane sulfonate, perfluorobutane sulfonic acid |
| PFC | perfluorocarbon (CnF2n+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 |
| PFEtA | perfluoroethanoate, perfluoroethanoic acid |
| PFEtS | perfluoroethane sulfonic acid |
| PFHpA | perfluoroheptanoate, perfluoroheptanoic acid |
| PFHpS | perfluoroheptane sulfonate, perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid |
| PFHxA | perfluorohexanoate, perfluorohexanoic acid |
| PFHxS | perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid |
| PFIB | perfluoroisobutylene |
| PFMOAA | perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid |
| PFNA | perfluorononanoate, perfluorononanoic acid |
| PFNS | perfluorononane sulfonate, perfluorononane sulfonic acid |
| PFO3OA | perfluoro(3,5,7-trioxaoctanoic) 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 |
| PFPrA | perflurorpropanoate, perfluoropropanoic acid |
| PFPrS/strong> | perfluoropropane sulfonic acid |
| PFSA | perfluoroalkyl sulfonate, perfluoroalkane sulfonic acid |
| PFSiA | perfluoroalkyl sulfinic acid |
| PFTeDA, or PFTA, PFTDA | 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 |
| PVF | polyvinyl fluoride |
| 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 |
| PSD | passive sampling device |
| PTFE | polytetrafluoroethylene |
| PUF | polyurethane foam |
| PVDF | polyvinylidene fluoride |
| PWS | public water system |
| QA | quality assurance |
| 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 |
| RAO | remedial action objective |
| RCRA | Resource Conservation and Recovery Act |
| REACH | European Chemicals Regulation |
| RfD | reference dose |
| RI/FS | Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study |
| 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 |
| SAP | Sampling and Analysis Plan |
| SCWO | supercritical water oxidation |
| 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 |
| SPFO | sodium perfluorooctanoate |
| 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 |
| TBEL | technology-based effluent limits |
| TCE | trichloroethene |
| TCEQ | Texas Commission for Environmental Quality |
| TCLP | Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure |
| TDS | total dissolved solids |
| TEQ | toxic equivalency quotient |
| TFA | trifluoroacetic acid |
| TFE | tetrafluoroethylene |
| TFMS | trifluoromethanesulfonic acid |
| TFSI | 1,1,1-trifluoro-N-(trifluoromethyl)sulfonylmethanesulfonamide |
| 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 |
| USDW | Underground sources of drinking water |
| 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 |
| WQBEL | water quality-based effluent limits |
| WV | wildlife value |
| ww | wet weight |
| WWTP | wastewater treatment plant |
| ZVI | zero-valent iron |
–
Updated January 2026.
