Appendix G: Glossary of Terms

Appendix G

Glossary of Terms

Assessment end points - valued characteristics of a management site or adjacent

ecosystem that should be protected.

Average daily potential dose (ADD) - the dose of contaminants that enters the

human body through the gastrointestinal tract following consumption of

contaminated seafood.

Biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) - expresses the accumulation of

contaminants from sediments to the biota.

Body burden - the concentration of a contaminant of concern per unit body

weight or per unit body lipid.

Carcinogenic slope factor (CSF) - expresses the carcinogenicity of a compound.

Complete exposure pathways - a physical, chemical, or biological mechanism, or

some combination which may transport a contaminant from a source, such as

sediment, to a specified human or other organism such as a commercial fish

species or an endangered aquatic bird.

Conceptual model - an integration of existing information which attempts to

identify the contaminants and their sources, describe the pathways by which they

may reach humans or other organisms, and specify which humans or organisms

might be linked to the contaminants by these pathways.

Dietary concentration - a contaminant of concern in the prey organism of a

receptor.

Direct exposure pathways - dermal contact and ingestion of contaminated

sediments or surface water.

Dose - the amount of a contaminant of concern ingested per unit body weight of

the receptor per day.

Ecological exposure assessment - builds upon the qualitative descriptions in the

conceptual model to calculate a quantitative estimate of the exposure of selected

receptors to the contaminants of concern.

Appendix G Glossary of Terms