Abbrevations and symbols

A

Absorb​ance

Specific absorbance

A_r

Relative atomic mass

Specific optical rotation

bp

Boiling point

BRP

Biological reference preparation

CRS

Chemical reference substance

Relative density

λ

Wavelength

HRS

Herbal reference standard

IU

International Unit

M

Molarity

M_r

Relative molecular mass

mp

Melting point

Refractive index

Ph. Eur. U.

European Pharmacopoeia Unit

ppb

Parts per billion (micrograms per kilogram)

ppm

Parts per million (milligrams per kilogram)

R

Substance or solution defined under 4. Reagents

R_F

Retardation factor (see chapter 2.2.46 Chromatographic separation techniques)

R_st

Used in chromatography to indicate the ratio of the distance travelled by a substance to the distance travelled by a reference substance

RV

Substance used as a primary standard in volumetric analysis (chapter 4.2.1 Primary standards for volumetric solutions)​

​CFU

Colony-forming units​

​LD₅₀

​The statistically determined quantity of a substance that, when administered by the specified route, may be expected to cause the death of 50 per cent of the test animals within a given period

MLD

Minimum lethal dose

L+/10 dose

The smallest quantity of a toxin that, in the conditions of the test, when mixed with 0.1 IU of antitoxin and administered by the specified route, causes the death of the test animals within a given period

L+ dose

The smallest quantity of a toxin that, in the conditions of the test, when mixed with 1 IU of antitoxin and administered by the specified route, causes the death of the test animals within a given period

lr/100 dose

The smallest quantity of a toxin that, in the conditions of the test, when mixed with 0.01 IU of antitoxin and injected intracutaneously causes a characteristic reaction at the site of injection within a given period

Lp/10 dose

The smallest quantity of toxin that, in the conditions of the test, when mixed with 0.1 IU of antitoxin and administered by the specified route, causes paralysis in the test animals within a given period

Lo/10 dose

The largest quantity of a toxin that, in the conditions of the test, when mixed with 0.1 IU of antitoxin and administered by the specified route, does not cause symptoms of toxicity in the test animals within a given period

Lf dose

The quantity of toxin or toxoid that flocculates in the shortest time with 1 IU of antitoxin

CCID₅₀

The statistically determined quantity of virus that may be expected to infect 50 per cent of the cell cultures to which it is added

EID₅₀

The statistically determined quantity of virus that may be expected to infect 50 per cent of the fertilised eggs into which it is inoculated

ID₅₀

The statistically determined quantity of a virus that may be expected to infect 50 per cent of the animals into which it is inoculated

PD₅₀

The statistically determined dose of a vaccine that, in the conditions of the tests, may be expected to protect 50 per cent of the animals against a challenge dose of the micro-organisms or toxins against which it is active

ED₅₀

The statistically determined dose of a vaccine that, in the conditions of the tests, may be expected to induce specific antibodies in 50 per cent of the animals for the relevant vaccine antigens

PFU

Pock-forming units or plaque-forming units

SPF

Specified-pathogen-free

​ATCC​

​American Type Culture Collection

C.I.P.​​

Collection de Bactéries de l’Institut Pasteur

IMI

International Mycological Institute

I.P.

Institut Pasteur, Collection Nationale de Culture de Microorganismes (C.N.C.M.)

NCIMB

National Collection of Industrial and Marine Bacteria Ltd

NCPF

National Collection of Pathogenic Fungi

NCTC

National Collection of Type C​ultures

NCYC

National Collection of Yeast Cultures

S.S.I.

Statens Serum Institut