Environmental Abbreviations and Acronyms

This list includes abbreviations and acronyms relevant to environmental compliance, regulations, remediation, and sustainability.

ADONA: trade name for 4,8-dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoate

AFFF:  aqueous film-forming foam

APFN:  ammonium perfluoronanoate

APFO:  ammonium perfluorooctanoate

AS: Air Sparging

AST: Aboveground Storage Tank

ASTM: ASTM International (formerly American Society for Testing and Materials)

ATSDR: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

BACT: Best Available Control Technology

BAF:   bioaccumulation factor

BERA:  baseline ecological risk assessment

bgs: below ground surface

BMP: Best Management Practices

BTEX: Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and total Xylenes

BuFASA:    N-butyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide

BuFASAA:   N-butyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido acetic acid

BuFASE:    N-butyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanols

CAC:   colloidal activated carbon

CAA: Clean Air Act

C8:    historical name for PFOA

C&D:   construction and demolition

CAP: Corrective Action Plan

Cat-Ox: Catalytic Oxidizer

CalEPA:    California Environmental Protection Agency

CAS:   Chemical Abstracts Service

CDC:   U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CDC: Center for Disease Control and Prevention

CERCLA:    Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

CFM: Cubic Feet per Minute

CFR:   Code of Federal Regulations

CHP:   catalyzed hydrogen peroxide

COCs: Constituents for Concern

COOH:  carboxylic acid functional group

CSF:   cancer slope factor

CSM:   conceptual site model

CWA: Clean Water Act

Da: dalton (unit of mass)

DCA: Dichloroethane

DDT: dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane

DNAPL: Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid

DO: Dissolved Oxygen

DOC: dissolved organic carbon

DPE: Dual-Phase Extraction

DQO: data quality objective

DRO: Diesel-Range Organics (C10 to C16 and C17 to C25)

DTW: Depth to Water

ECCC:  Environment and Climate Change Canada

EDB: Ethylene dibromide (1,2 – Dibromoethane)

EDC: Ethylene dichloride (1,2 – Dichloroethane)

EP: Environmental Professional

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

ERA:   ecological risk assessment

ERB:   equipment rinse blank

ESA: Environmental Site Assessment

EtFASA:    N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide

EtFASAA:   N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido acetic acid (var:聽N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide acetic acid)

EtFASE:    N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanol (var: N-ethyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide ethanol)

ETFE:  ethylene tetrafluoroethylene

EtFOSA:    N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide

EtFOSE:    N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido ethanol (var:聽N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanol)

eV: Electron Volt

F53B:  chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (PFOS substitute for plating)

FASA:  perfluoroalkane sulfonamide

FASAA: perfluoroalkane sulfonamido acetic acid (var: perfluoroalkane sulfonamide acetic acid)

FASE:  perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanol (var: perfluoroalkane sulfonamide ethanol)

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

FOSAA: perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (var: perfluorooctane sulfonamide acetic acid)

FOSE:  perfluorooctane sulfonamido ethanol (var: perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanol)

FRB:   field reagent blank

ft bgs: feet below ground surface

FTA:   fire training area

FTCA:  fluorotelomer carboxylic acid

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

GPR: Ground Penetrating Radar

GRO: Gasoline-Range Organics

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

HVE: High Vacuum Extraction

IARC:  International Agency for Research on Cancer

IP: Injection Point

IRM: Interim Remedial Measure

ISCO: In-Situ Chemical Oxidation

ITRC: Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council

lbs/hr: Pounds per Hour

LDPE:  low-density polyethylene

LEL: Lower Explosive Limit

LHA:   lifetime health advisory

LNAPL: Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid

LPH: Liquid-Phase Hydrocarbons

MA DEP: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level

MDH:   Minnesota Department of Health

MeFASA:    N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide

MeFASAA:   N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido acetic acid (var:聽N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide acetic acid)

MeFASE:    N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanol (var:聽N-methyl perfluoroalkane sulfonamide ethanol)

MeFOSA:    N-methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide

MSW: Municipal Solid Waste

mg/kg: micrograms per kilogram

Mg/L: Milligrams per Liter

MNA: Monitored Natural Attenuation

MPCA:  Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

MPE: Multi-Phase Extraction

MSW:   municipal solid waste

MTBE: Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether

mV: Millivolts

MW: Monitoring Well

NaPFO: sodium perfluorooctanoate

NAPL: nonaqueous phase liquid

ND: Not Detected

NESHAP: National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

nEtFOSA:N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide

NF: nanofiltration

NFA: No Further Action

NFPA: National Fire Protection Association

NGWA: National Groundwater Association

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

NOx: Nitrogen Oxides

NPDES: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NPL: National Priorities List

NWQC: national water quality criteria

NYDEC: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

N/A: Not Applicable

O&G: Oil and Gas

O&M: Operation and Maintenance

OEHHA: Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (California)

ORP: Oxidation-Reduction Potential

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

P&T: Pump and Treat

PA DEP:    Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

PAC:   powdered activated carbon

PAF:   perfluoroalkanoyl fluorides

PAHs: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

PASF:  perfluoroalkane sulfonyl fluoride

PBSF:  perfluorobutane sulfonyl fluoride

PBT:   persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic

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

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: perfluoroalkyl 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, Perfluorooctane Carboxylate, Perfluorooctanoic Acid

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

PID: Photo-Ionization Detector

POE:   point of exposure

POET: point of entry treatment

POP:   persistent organic pollutant

POSF:  perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride

ppb:   parts per billion

PPE: Personal Protective Equipment

ppm:   parts per million

ppmv: parts per million by volume

ppt: parts per trillion

PQL: Practical Quantitation Limit

PTFE:  polytetrafluoroethylene

PVDF:  polyvinylidene fluoride

QA: Quality Assurance

QAO: Quality Assurance Officer

QAPP: Quality Assurance Project Plan

QC: Quality Control

QCI: Quality Control Index

QL:    quantitation limit

RAP: Remedial Action Plan

RBCA: Risk-Based Corrective Action

RCRA: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

REEP: Review of Environmental Effect of Pollutants

RL:    reporting limit

RO:    reverse osmosis

RSC:   relative source contribution

SARA: Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986

SDS: Safety Data Sheet

SEA: State/EPA Agreement

SPE:   Solid-Phase Extraction

SPLP:  Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure

SRS: Sensitive Receptor Survey

SVE: Soil Vapor Extraction

SVOCs: Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds

TBA: t-Butyl Alcohol

TCEQ:  Texas Commission for Environmental Quality

TCLP: Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure

TDS: Total Dissolved Solids

TFE:   Tetrafluoroethylene

TIC: Tentatively Identified Compound

TMB: Trimethylbenzene

TOC: Top of Casing, Total Organic Carbon

TPH: Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons

TSCA:  Toxic Substances and Control Act

UEL: Upper Explosive Limit

ug/kg: micrograms per kilogram

ug/L: micrograms per liter

ug/m3: micrograms per cubic meter

USEPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency

USGS: United States Geological Survey

UST: Underground Storage Tank

VGAC: Vapor-phase Granulated Activated Carbon

VOA: Volatile Organic Analysis

VOCs: Volatile Organic Compounds

WB: Wet Bulb

WHO: World Health Organization

WQO: Water Quality Objectives

WWTP:  Wastewater Treatment Plant

CP-51 SCG: Soil Quality standards as defined by the NYSDEC Commissioner Policy 51/Soil Cleanup Guidance, amended October 21, 2010 (updated soil levels to TAGM 4046)

NYCDEP: New York City Department of Environmental Protection

NYSDEC: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

RSCOs: Recommended Soil Cleanup Objectives as defined by TAGM 4046

STARS: Spills Technology and Remediation Series #1, emended August 1992

STIP: Stipulation Agreement

TAGM: Technical and Administrative Guidance Memorandum (#4046) Determination of Soil Cleanup Objectives, amended January 24, 1994

WQS: Groundwater Quality Standards as defined by the June 1998 Technical and Operational Guidance Series 1.1.1, Ambient Water Quality Standards and Guidance Value and Groundwater Effluent Limitations and the April 2000 Addendum

NCDEQ: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

PADEP: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

SWHS: Statewide Health Standard

USTIF: Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund