ASTM E943-23

Standard Terminology Relating to Biological Effects and Environmental Fate

SCOPE
1.1 This terminology document defines terms commonly used in standards developed by ASTM Subcommittee E50.47 on Biological Effects and Environmental Fate. This terminology document is intended to be consistent with the use of terms in ASTM standards related to this field and, to the extent possible, with use by other organizations.  
1.1.1 If a specific Subcommittee E50.47 standard uses one of these terms in a different context, then the term should be defined in that standard. A term used only in a specific ASTM standard need not be included in this terminology document.  
1.2 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-May-2023
• ICS: 01.040.07 - Natural and applied sciences (Vocabularies)
• ICS: 07.080 - Biology. Botany. Zoology
• Technical Committee: E50 - Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action
• Drafting Committee: E50.47 - Biological Effects and Environmental Fate

Overview

ASTM E943-23 - Standard Terminology Relating to Biological Effects and Environmental Fate provides a comprehensive set of definitions crucial for understanding standards in the fields of biological effects and environmental fate. Developed by ASTM Subcommittee E50.47, this international standard ensures consistency in terminology across a variety of environmental and biological assessment activities.

Standardized terminology is essential when addressing complex topics such as exposure, toxicity, accumulation, and risk with respect to chemicals and organisms in the environment. By harmonizing terms used in related ASTM standards and aligning them with definitions accepted by international organizations, ASTM E943-23 reduces ambiguity and supports effective communication among scientists, regulators, and industry professionals.

Key Topics

ASTM E943-23 covers terminology commonly encountered in environmental fate and biological effects assessments, such as:

• Bioaccumulation, Bioconcentration, and Biomagnification: These terms reference the accumulation and concentration of substances within organisms across different environmental sources, often used in ecological risk assessments.
• Bioassay and Biomarker: Definitions clarify protocols involving living organisms to measure exposure or effects of chemicals.
• Toxicity, Toxicity Test, Toxicant, and Toxin: Essential for understanding hazards and adverse effects of chemicals on biological systems, including differences between natural and synthetic toxic agents.
• Exposure, Dose (EC50, LC50, LD50), and Risk: Quantitative measures used in risk evaluation and environmental safety studies.
• Life-Cycle, Acute, and Chronic Tests: Distinctions between various durations and endpoints in experimental designs for toxicity testing.
• Sediment, Soil, and Associated Terminology: Specific terms such as control sediment, reference sediment, spiked sediment, and whole sediment support environmental monitoring and remediation studies.
• Key Species, Surrogate Species, and Resident Species: Terms focus on ecological importance and species selection in environmental assessment.

Applications

The definitions in ASTM E943-23 are widely used in:

• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA): Assisting professionals in communicating findings and recommendations effectively when analyzing the potential effects of projects on the environment.
• Ecological Risk Assessment: Supporting risk evaluators in quantifying exposure, accumulation, and potential hazards to organisms in various ecosystems.
• Regulatory Compliance and Reporting: Enabling clear reporting of laboratory and field study results to regulatory bodies using standardized language.
• Toxicity Testing Protocols: Guiding laboratory procedures in assessing the effects of chemicals on organisms over acute, sub-acute, or chronic timescales.
• Remediation and Corrective Action: Essential terminology for professionals involved in assessing and mitigating contamination in water, soil, or sediment.
• Research and Academic Studies: Ensuring students and researchers use consistent definitions in publications and reports.

Related Standards

Professionals referencing ASTM E943-23 may also find the following standards and guidelines pertinent:

• Other ASTM E50 Committee Standards: Related to environmental assessment, risk management, and corrective action.
• ISO Standards on Environmental Fate and Toxicity: International equivalents offering complementary guidance.
• USEPA and OECD Guidelines: Widely applied in regulatory contexts for environmental testing and chemical safety.
• National and Regional Environmental Protection Regulations: Referencing international standards for terminology alignment and best practices.

Utilizing ASTM E943-23 facilitates precise communication, enhances the quality of environmental data, and supports informed decision-making in projects focused on biological effects and the environmental fate of chemicals. Adhering to standardized terminology is critical for professionals engaged in environmental sciences, regulatory affairs, and ecological research.

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E943 − 23
Standard Terminology Relating to
Biological Effects and Environmental Fate
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E943; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope specified tissue) by its concentration in a specified exposure
medium, for example, air, food, sediment, soil, water, when
1.1 This terminology document defines terms commonly
several media are possible sources (see bioaccumalation).
used in standards developed by ASTM Subcommittee E50.47
on Biological Effects and Environmental Fate. This terminol-
behavior, n—observable, recordable, or measurable actions or
ogy document is intended to be consistent with the use of terms
activity of an organism.
in ASTM standards related to this field and, to the extent
DISCUSSION—This definition conveys the idea of motion whether
motility is involved or not, and excludes physiological responses,
possible, with use by other organizations.
death, and so forth, from the concept. It avoids the issue of internal
1.1.1 If a specific Subcommittee E50.47 standard uses one
versus external stimuli.
of these terms in a different context, then the term should be
defined in that standard. A term used only in a specific ASTM
bioaccumulation, n—the net accumulation of a substance by
standard need not be included in this terminology document.
an organism as a result of uptake from all environmental
sources.
1.2 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
bioassay, n—an experiment that uses living whole organisms,
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
tissues or cells to measure the presence, the concentration, or
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
the relative potency of one or more chemicals.
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
DISCUSSION—A bioassay must include the appropriate controls(s).
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
There is no intended stipulation of endpoint for such a test; the response
may be positive of negative. This term defines a subset of the protocols
2. Terminology
(methods) referred by the term “biological assay.”
2.1 Definitions:
bioconcentration, n—the net accumulation of a substance by
acute test, n—a comparative study in which organisms, that
an aquatic organism as a result of uptake directly from
are subjected to different treatments, are observed for a
aqueous solution.
single relatively short period usually less than a 24-hours.
biomagnification, n—the increased accumulation and concen-
DISCUSSION—Definitions of acute, sub-acute, sub-chronic and chronic
test durations vary and are typically defined relative to the life span of
tration of a chemical in tissues so that organisms in higher
the test organism.
trophic levels have greater concentrations of the chemical
than those in lower trophic levels.
DISCUSSION—Acute tests often utilize mortality as the primary effect
DISCUSSION—Chemicals that are not eliminated or broken down will
metric; other test durations involve repetitive daily exposures and
accumulate from producer or detritivore to consumer and from prey to
include sublethal endpoints such as growth or reproduction.
predator, primarily through the mechanism of dietary accumulation.
attraction, n—a response towards or to facilitate contact with
biomarker, n—a biological measure (within organisms) of
a material or condition.
exposure to, effects of, or susceptibility to, environmental
avoidance, n—a response away from or to limit contact with a
stress using molecular, genetic, biochemical, histological, or
material or condition.
physiological techniques.
BAF (bioaccumulation factor), n—the quotient obtained by
biomarker assay, n—an experiment that uses a molecular,
dividing the concentration of a substance in an organism (or
genetic, biochemical, histological, anatomical, or physi-
ological technique to assess exposure, response, or suscep-
tibility of an organisms tissue or cells to environmental
This terminology is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E50 on
stress.
Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the
direct responsibility of Subcommittee E50.47 on Biological Effects and Environ-
mental Fate.
Current edition approved June 1, 2023. Published July 2023. Originally approved
in 1983. Last previous edition approved in 2014 as E943 – 08(2014) which was Finney, D.J. 1947. The Principles of Biological Assay. Supplement to the
withdrawn January 2023 and reinstated in June 2023. DOI: 10.1520/E0943-23. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. 9(1):46-91 https://doi.org/10.2307/2983571.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E943 − 23
chronic test, n—a comparative study in which organisms are LD50, n—a statistically or graphically estimated oral dose that
exposed for a relatively long period typically exceeding is expected to be lethal to 50 % of a group of organisms
10 % of their life span. under specified conditions.
DISCUSSION—see acute test discussion.
life-cycle test, n—a comparative study in which organisms,
that are subjected to different treatments, are observed at
control sediment, n—a sediment that is essentially free of
least from a life stage in one generation to the same life stage
contaminants and is used routinely to assess the acceptability
in the next generation.
of a test.
lowest-observed-effect concentration (LOEC), n—in a tox-
depuration, n—loss of a substance from an organism as a
icity test, the tested concentration of one or more chemicals
result of any active or passive process.
immediately above the highest tested concentration that did
dietary accumulation, n—the net accumulation of a substance
not result in a statistically significant change in the particular
by an organism as a result of ingestion in the diet.
toxicological variable compared to that value in the control
(s).
dilution water, n—non-toxic aqueous exposure media (that is,
DISCUSSION—Within a concentration-effect curve at concentrations
water) used to reduce the concentration of a test substance in
near the NOEC and LOEC, the following situation can occur: one
aquatic toxicity tests and is used as the control water.
concentration might induce an effect that is significantly greater than
the control or background, while the next higher concentration induces
EC50, n—a statistically or graphically estimated concentration
an effect that is not significantly greater than control or background,
that is expected to cause one or more specified effects in
and all the higher concentrations induce effects that are significantly
greater than control or background. In this region of uncertainty, the
50 % of a group of organisms under specified conditions.
concentration inducing a significant effect may be inverted one or more
ED50, n—a statistically or graphically estimated dose that is
times. In order to avoid a situation where the LOEC is less than the
NOEC, the NOEC is defined as the concentration immediately below
expected to cause one or more specified effects in 50 % of a
the region of uncertainty, and the LOEC is defined as the concentration
group of organisms under specified conditions.
immediately above this region. If the region of uncertainty is large, the
investigator may not choose to define a NOEC or LOEC.
exposure, n—contact with a chemical or physical agent.
no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC), n— in a toxicity
fate, environmental, n—the form and location of a material
test, the tested concentration of one or more chemicals
resulting from transport and transformation.
immediately below the lowest tested concentration that
hazard, n—the adverse effect(s) that may result f
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