ASTM E943-08

Standard Terminology Relating to Biological Effects and Environmental Fate

SCOPE
1.1 This terminology document defines terms commonly used in standards developed by ASTM Committee E47 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 Committee E47 standard uses one of these terms in a different context, then the term must be defined in that standard. A term used only in a specific ASTM standard need not be included in this terminology document.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 29-Feb-2008
• 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

Relations

• Referred By: ASTM E1525-02(2023) - Standard Guide for Designing Biological Tests with Sediments
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1366-23 - Standard Practice for Standardized Aquatic Microcosms: Fresh Water
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1563-21a - Standard Guide for Conducting Short-Term Chronic Toxicity Tests with Echinoid Embryos
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1611-21 - Standard Guide for Conducting Sediment Toxicity Tests with Polychaetous Annelids
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1023-23 - Standard Guide for Assessing the Hazard of a Material to Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1242-23 - Standard Practice for Using Octanol-Water Partition Coefficient to Estimate Median Lethal Concentrations for Fish Due to Narcosis
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E2590-15 - Standard Guide for Conducting Hazard Analysis-Critical Control Point (HACCP) Evaluations
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1191-03A(2023)e1 - Standard Guide for Conducting Life-Cycle Toxicity Tests with Saltwater Mysids
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1367-03(2023) - Standard Test Method for Measuring the Toxicity of Sediment-Associated Contaminants with Estuarine and Marine Invertebrates
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E2591-22 - Standard Guide for Conducting Whole Sediment Toxicity Tests with Amphibians
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E2552-23 - Standard Guide for Assessing the Environmental and Human Health Impacts of New Compounds for Military Use
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E729-23e1 - Standard Guide for Conducting Acute Toxicity Tests on Test Materials with Fishes, Macroinvertebrates, and Amphibians
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1241-22 - Standard Guide for<brk type="line"/> Conducting Early Life-Stage Toxicity Tests with Fishes
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM D6046-18 - Standard Classification of Hydraulic Fluids for Environmental Impact
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008
• Referred By: ASTM D6311-98(2022) - Standard Guide for Generation of Environmental Data Related to Waste Management Activities: Selection and Optimization of Sampling Design
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2008

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E943 − 08
StandardTerminology Relating to
1
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 behavior, n—observable, recordable, or measurable actions or
activity of an organism.
1.1 This terminology document defines terms commonly
DISCUSSION—This definition conveys the idea of motion whether
used in standards developed by ASTM Committee E47 on
motility is involved or not, and excludes physiological responses,
Biological Effects and Environmental Fate. This terminology
death, and so forth, from the concept. It avoids the issue of internal
document is intended to be consistent with the use of terms in
versus external stimuli.
ASTMstandardsrelatedtothisfieldand,totheextentpossible,
bioaccumulation—the net accumulation of a substance by an
with use by other organizations.
organism as a result of uptake from all environmental
1.1.1 If a specific Committee E47 standard uses one of these
sources.
terms in a different context, then the term must be defined in
that standard. A term used only in a specific ASTM standard
bioassay—an experiment that uses living whole organisms,
need not be included in this terminology document.
tissues or cells to measure the presence, the concentration, or
the relative potency of one or more chemicals.
2. Terminology DISCUSSION—A bioassay must include the appropriate controls(s).
Thereisnointendedstipulationofendpointforsuchatest;theresponse
2.1 Definitions:
may be positive of negative. This term defines a subset of the protocols
acute test—a comparative study in which organisms, that are
(methods) referred by the term “biological assay” (Finney, 1947)
subjected to different treatments, are observed for a short
bioconcentration—the net accumulation of a substance by an
period usually not constituting a substantial portion of their
aquatic organism as a result of uptake directly from aqueous
life span.
solution.
DISCUSSION—There is no specific test duration that represents a
distinct boundary between acute and chronic test durations for any
biomagnification—the increase in tissue concentration of
species. Although acute or chronic test procedures may specify stan-
poorly depurated materials in organisms along a series of
dard duration(s), these durations have not been intended to define an
predator-preyassociations,primarilythroughthemechanism
acute:chronic boundary.
of dietary accumulation.
Acute tests often utilize mortality as the only measure of effect;
chronic tests usually include additional measures of effect such as
biomarker, n—a biological measure (within organisms) of
growth or reproduction.
exposure to, effects of, or susceptibility to, environmental
attraction—a response towards or to facilitate contact with a
stress using molecular, genetic, biochemical, histological, or
material or condition.
physiological techniques.
avoidance—a response away from or to limit contact with a
biomarker assay—an experiment that uses a molecular,
material or condition.
genetic, biochemical, histological, anatomical, or physi-
ological technique to assess exposure, response, or suscep-
BAF (bioaccumulation factor), n—the quotient obtained by
tibility of an organisms tissue or cells to environmental
dividing the concentration of a substance in an organism (or
stress.
specified tissue) by its concentration in a specified exposure
medium, for example, air, food, sediment, soil, water, when
chronic test—a comparative study in which organisms that are
several media are possible sources (see bioaccumalation). subjected to different treatments are observed for a long
period or a substantial portion of their life span.
DISCUSSION—There is no specific test duration that represents a
distinct boundary between acute and chronic test durations for any
1
This terminology is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E50 on
species. Although acute or chronic test procedures may specify stan-
Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the
dard duration(s), these durations have not been intended to define an
direct responsibility of Subcommittee E50.47 on Biological Effects and Environ-
acute:chronic boundary.
mental Fate.
Acute tests often utilize mortality as the only measure of effect;
Current edition approved March 1, 2008. Published March 2008. Originally
chronic tests usually include additional measures of effect such as
approved in 1983. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as E943 – 04a. DOI:
10.1520/E0943-08. growth or reproduction.
Copyright © ASTM Interna
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:E943–04a Designation: E 943 – 08
Standard Terminology Relating to
1
Biological Effects and Environmental Fate
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 943; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This terminology document defines terms commonly used in standards developed byASTM Committee E47 on Biological
Effects and Environmental Fate. This terminology document is intended to be consistent with the use of terms inASTM standards
related to this field and, to the extent possible, with use by other organizations.
1.1.1 If a specific Committee E47 standard uses one of these terms in a different context, then the term must be defined in that
standard. A term used only in a specific ASTM standard need not be included in this terminology document.
2. Terminology
2.1 Definitions:
acute test—a comparative study in which organisms, that are subjected to different treatments, are observed for a short period
usually not constituting a substantial portion of their life span.
DISCUSSION—There is no specific test duration that represents a distinct boundary between acute and chronic test durations for any species.Although
acute or chronic test procedures may specify standard duration(s), these durations have not been intended to define an acute:chronic boundary.
Acute tests often utilize mortality as the only measure of effect; chronic tests usually include additional measures of effect such as growth or
reproduction.
attraction—a response towards or to facilitate contact with a material or condition.
avoidance—a response away from or to limit contact with a material or condition.
BAF(bioaccumulation factor), n—thequotientobtainedbydividingtheconcentrationofasubstanceinanorganism(orspecified
tissue) by its concentration in a specified exposure medium, for example, air, food, sediment, soil, water, when several media
are possible sources (see bioaccumalation).
behavior, n—observable, recordable, or measurable actions or activity of an organism.
DISCUSSION—This definition conveys the idea of motion whether motility is involved or not, and excludes physiological responses, death, and so
forth, from the concept. It avoids the issue of internal versus external stimuli.
bioaccumulation—the net accumulation of a substance by an organism as a result of uptake from all environmental sources.
bioassay—an experiment that uses living whole organisms, tissues or cells to measure the presence, the concentration, or the
relative potency of one or more chemicals.
DISCUSSION—A bioassay must include the appropriate controls(s). 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 (methods) referred by the term “biological assay” (Finney, 1947)
bioconcentration—the net accumulation of a substance by an aquatic organism as a result of uptake directly from aqueous
solution.
biomagnification—the increase in tissue concentration of poorly depurated materials in organisms along a series of predator-prey
associations, primarily through the mechanism of dietary accumulation.
biomarker, n—a biological measure (within organisms) of exposure to, effects of, or susceptibility to, environmental stress using
molecular, genetic, biochemical, histological, or physiological techniques.
biomarkerassay—an experiment that uses a molecular, genetic, biochemical, histological, anatomical, or physiological technique
to assess exposure, response, or susceptibility of an organisms tissue or cells to environmental stress.
chronic test—a comparative study in which organisms that are subjected to different treatments are observed for a long period or
a substantial portion of their life span.
1
ThisterminologyisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeE47onBiologicalEffectsandEnvironmentalFateandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeE47.06
on Terminology Technical Services and Technical Services. Support.
Current edition approved Nov.March 1, 2004.2008. Published November 2004.March 2008. Originally approved in 1983. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as
E 943 – 04a.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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E943–08
DISCUSSION
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