List of Acronyms

AAS: atomic absorption spectrophotometry

AES: Auger electron spectrometry

AETE Program: Aquatic Effects Technology Evaluation Program

ANCOVA: analysis of covariance

ANOVA: analysis of variance

AQUAMIN: Assessment of the Aquatic Effects of Mining in Canada

APHA: American Public Health Association

AVS: acide volatile sulphides

EPS: Environmental Protection Service of Environment Canada

ASPT: average score per taxon

ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials

ATW: Aquatic Toxicity Workshop

AWWA: American Water Works Association

BACI: before/after control-impact

BAR: B.A.R. Environmental Inc.

B-C Index: Bray-Curtis Index

BEAK: Beak International Inc.

BL: biotic ligand

BLM: biotic ligand model

BMWP: biological monitoring working party

CABIN: Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network

CAEAL: Canadian Association for Environmental Analytical Laboratories

CALA: Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation

CALK: combined alkaline stream

CBR: critical body residues

CCME: Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment

CES: critical effect size

CETTP: Complex Effluent Toxicity Testing Program

C-I: control-impact

COSEWIC: Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

CPUE: catch per unit effort

CVAAS: cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry

CVAFS: cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry

D.L.: detection limit

DDW: double distilled water

df: degrees of freedom

DGT: diffusive gradient thin film

DOC: dissolved organic carbon

DQOs: data quality objectives

EC: Environment Canada

EC₂₅: 25% effect concentration

EC₅₀: 50% effect concentration

EDA: effect directed analysis

EDTA: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

EEM: environmental effects monitoring

ELAP: Environmental Laboratory Approval Program

ESG: ESG International Inc.

EU: European Union

exp.: exposure

FDP: final discharge point

FF: far-field

FRAP: Fraser River Action Plan

GC: gas chromatography

GFAAS: graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

GLP: good laboratory practice

GIME: gel integrated minielectrode

GM-IC₂₅: geometric mean of all IC₂₅s

GPS: global positioning system

GSI: gonadosomatic index

HALW: hardness-adjusted laboratory water

HFPLM: hollow fibre permeation liquid membrane

HPLC: high performance liquid chromatography

HSB: hyper-saline brine

IC₂₅: 25% inhibition concentration

IC₅₀: 50% inhibition concentration

ICP-AES: inductively coupled atomic absorption spectrophotometry

ICP-MS: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

ID: internal diameter

INRS: Institut national de la recherche scientifique

INAA: instrumental neutron activation analysis

IOC: investigation of cause

IOS: investigation of solutions

IARC: International Agency for Research on Cancer

ISO/IEC: International Organization for Standardization

LC₅₀: median lethal concentration

LCL: lower control limit

LIMS: laboratory information management system

LOE: lines of evidence

LPL: lowest practical level

LSI: liver somatic index

LT₂₅: time to 25% mortality

LT₅₀: time to 50% mortality

LWL: lower warning limit

MC-I: multiple control-impact

MDDEP: Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs du Québec

MDL: method detection limit

MFO: mixed function oxygenase

MG: multiple gradient

MME: metal mine effluent

MMER: Metal Mining Effluent Regulations

MOE: Ministry of the Environment

MS: mass spectrometry

MS: mean square

MSE: municipal sewage effluent

MSI: mantle somatic index

MT: metallothionein

NABS: North American Benthological Society

NAMC: The North American Metals Council

NF: near-field

NOM: natural organic matter

NRBS: Northern River Basins Study

NSERC: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

PLC: Public Liaison Committee

PME: pulp mill effluent

PPER: Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations

QA/QC: quality assurance / quality control

R²: coefficient of variation

RCA: reference condition approach

ref.: reference

RG: radial gradient

RISS: Regulatory Information Submission System

SD: standard deviation

SE: standard error

SEC: size exclusion chromatography

sem: simultaneous extracted metals

SEM: scanning electron microscopy

SETAC: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

SG: simple gradient

SIMS: secondary ion mass spectrometry

SOP: standard operating procedure

SPE: solid phase extraction

SQT: sediment quality triad

SRM: standard reference material

SS: sum of squares

TER: toxicity emission rate

TIE: toxicity identification evaluation

TKN: Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen

TRE: toxicity reduction evaluation

TOC: total organic carbon

TSRI: Toxic Substances Research Initiative

U.S. EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency

UCL: upper control limit

UWL: upper warning limit

UV: ultraviolet

VECs: valued ecosystem components

WAWW: whole-animal wet weight

WEF: Water Environment Federation

WHO: World Health Organization

WMI: Whitehorse Mining Initiative

WQG: water quality guideline

XPS: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

XRF: X-ray fluorescence

XAFS: X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

XRM: X-ray microanalysis

YOY: young of the year