Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:11:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 11 (pt 1/5)
Character Range: 1228930–1232038

11             Glossary
Added contaminant limit (ACL) values are generated in the process of deriving EILs and comprise the non-ambient background concentration in the EIL for the contaminant.
Aged applies to a soil that has contained a contaminant for more than two years.
Ageing is the natural process that occurs over time whereby the bioavailability of contaminants decreases due to binding to minerals, clays and organic carbon.
Ambient background concentration (ABC) of a contaminant is the soil concentration in a specified locality that is the sum of the naturally occurring background and the contaminant levels that have been introduced from diffuse or non-point sources by general anthropogenic activity not attributed to industrial, commercial, or agricultural activities.
Area of ecological significance is an area where the planning provisions or land-use designation is primarily for the intention of conserving and protecting the natural environment. This would include national parks, state parks, wilderness areas and designated conservation areas.
Bioavailability is the ability of a contaminant to interact with the biological system of an organism. Not all of a contaminant that is present in environmental compartments (for example, soil, sediment, water and air) is biologically available—rather, only a fraction of the total (the bioavailable fraction) is available.
Biomagnification is the accumulation and transfer of chemicals via the food web due to ingestion, resulting in an increase of the internal concentration in organisms at the succeeding trophic levels.
Biota of supporting ecological processes is the biota associated with supporting ecological processes that provide habitat, shelter, food and water and permit other organisms to reproduce and ultimately survive as a viable species. Examples include bacteria, fungi and soil invertebrates that sustain the nutrient cycling processes necessary for plant growth.
Contaminant is any chemical existing in the environment above background levels and representing, or potentially representing, an adverse health or environmental risk.
Contaminant of concern means a contaminant that is present at a site at concentrations that may result in adverse impacts to ecological values. Exactly how this is determined varies depending on the current situation and its place in the ecological risk assessment (ERA) framework. In the site contamination assessment phase, a chemical is considered a contaminant of concern when the concentration is greater than the background concentration of the chemical. At the conclusion of a Preliminary ERA contaminants of concern are those chemicals that have soil concentrations greater than the most appropriate ecological investigation levels (EILs). On completing a Definitive ERA, contaminants of concern are those chemicals that exceed the site-specific EILs.
Contamination means the condition of land or water where any chemical substance or waste has been added at above background level or bioavailability of a chemical substance has increased and represents, or potentially represents,