Environmental Alphabet Soup
As it is with most industries, nick names and acronyms and shortened words become the norm. And our industry is certainly no exception! How many of us need to occasionally refer to a reference sheet or guide to remind ourselves what some of this alphabet soup means?
Take a peak below at some common chemical names, quality terms, and testing terms that can help you interpret some of this Environmental Alphabet Soup!
COMMON CHEMICALS
- BTEX Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes
- CFCs Chlorofluorocarbons
- DCA Dichloroethane
- DRO Diesel Range Organics
- EDB Ethylene Dibromide
- EOX Extractable Organic Halides
- GRO Gasoline Range Organics
- HAA Haloacetic Acids
- IOC Inorganic Contaminants
- MTBE Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether
- PAHs Polynulear Aromatic Hydrocarbons
- PCBs Polychlorinated Biphenyls
- PCE Tetrachloroethene
- SOC Synthetic Organic Chemicals
- TBA Tertiary Butyl Alcohol
- TCDD Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
- TCE Trichloroethylene
- TTHM Total Trihalomethanes
- TOC Total Organic Carbon
- TOX Total Organic Halogen
- TPH Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons
QUALITY TERMS
- AL Action Level
- CAL Calibration Standard
- CV Calibration Verification
- DQO Data Quality Objectives
- EQL Estimated Quantitation Limit
- FB Field Blank
- IDC Initial Demonstration of Capability
- IDL Instrument Detection Limit
- IS Internal Standards
- LCS Laboratory Control Spike (Blank Spike)
- LCS Dup Laboratory Control Spike Duplicate
- LOD Limit of Detection
- LPC Laboratory Performance Check
- MDL Method Detection Limit
- MS/MSD Matrix Spike/Matrix Spike Duplicate
- PQL Practical Quantitation Limit
- PT Proficiency Test Study
- QA Quality Assurance
- QAPP Quality Assurance Project Plan
- QC Quality Control
- RRF Relative Response Factor
- RL Reporting Limit
- RPD Relative Percent Difference (Precision)
- RT Retention Time
- SOP Standard Operating Procedures
TESTING TERMS
- AST Above ground Storage Tank
- BOD5 Biological Oxygen Demand – 5 day
- BNA Base/Neutral Acids Semi-Volatiles by GC/MS
- COC Chain of Custody
- COD Chemical Oxygen Demand
- DO Dissolved Oxygen
- ECD Electron Capture Detector
- EDD Electronic Data Deliverable
- FID Flame Ionization Detector
- GC Gas Chromatography
- GC/MS Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy
- HEM Hexane Extractable Materials
- HEM-SGT Hexane Extractable Materials-Silica Gel Treatment
- HPLC High Performance Liquid Chromatography
- IC Ion Chromatograph
- ICP Inductively Coupled Plasma
- ICP/MS Inductively Coupled Plasma / Mass Spectrometer
- IDW Investigation Derived Waste
- LUST Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
- MBAS Methylene Blue Active Substances (Surfactants)
- MCL Maximum Contaminant Level
- MNA Monitored Natural Attenuation
- ORP Oxidation Reduction Potential
- PID Photo Ionization Detector
- PNA Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons
- PP/PPL Priority Pollutants/Priority Pollutant List
- PP+40 Priority Pollutant List plus 40 TICs (Tentatively Identified Compounds)
- ppb Parts Per Billion (ug/L or ug/Kg)
- ppm Parts Per Million (mg/L or mg/Kg)
- RFI RCRA Facility Investigation
- RI/FS Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study
- SIM Selective Ion Mode
- SPLP Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure
- SVOC Semi-Volatile Organic Compound (BNAs)
- SWMU Solid Waste Management Unit
- TAL Target Analyte List (Metals and Cyanide)
- TAT Turn Around Time
- TCL Target Compound List (VOA, SVOA, Pest/PCBs)
- TCLP Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure
- TIC Tentatively Identified Compound
- TPH Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons
- TRPH Total Recoverable Hydrocarbons
- UCMR Uncontaminated Monitoring Rule
- UST Underground Storage Tank
About the Author…Beth is an Environmental Professional, Technical Resource and Customer Service Advocate serving as Business Development Manager for Suburban Testing Labs since 2013. She has over 25 years of industry experience, and enjoys engaging in technical discussions, presenting topics of relevance, and networking. Visit her LinkedIn Profile to connect, or email her at bwitouski@suburbantestinglabs.com.