Appendix

Toxicology Terms,
4 Abbreviations, and
Equivalents

TERMS LENGTH
ppm = parts per million = 1/1,000,000 1 cm = 0.3937 in
ppb = parts per billion = 1/1,000,000,000 1 meter = 39.37 ft
mg% = milligrams/100 ml = mg/dl 1 micron = 1 ⫻ 10⫺6 meters
mEq/l = milliequivalents/liter 1 micron = 1 ⫻ 10⫺3 = 0.001 millimeters
mg/l = milligrams/liter 1 angstrom = 1 ⫻ 10⫺5 = 0.00001 microns
µg/100ml = micrograms/100 milliliters
µg/kg = micrograms/kilograms
AREA
mg/kg = milligrams/kilogram
1 acre = 43,560 square feet
1 acre = 4,047 square meters
EQUIVALENTS
1 hectare = 2.471 acres
1 ppm = 1 mg/kg = 1 mg/1,000,000 mg = 0.91 g/ton, = 1 hectare = 10,000 square meters
0.0001% 1 square mile = 1 section = 640 acres
Calculation: 1/1,000,000 = 0.000001. Then, ⫻100 =
0.0001%
WEIGHT
0.001 ppm = 1 ppb = 0.0000001% 1 grain = 64.8 milligrams
0.01 ppm = 10ppb = 0.000001% 1 ounce = 28.35 grams
0.1 ppm = 100 ppb = 0.00001% 1 pound = 454 grams
1.0 ppm = 0.0001% 1 ton = 2000 pounds
10 ppm = 0.001% 1 ton = 907.18 kilograms
100 ppm = 0.01% 1 metric ton = 1000 kilograms
1000 ppm = 0.1% 1 metric ton = 2204.6 pounds
10,000 ppm = 1.0% 1 gram = 15.43 grains
1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds
To convert ppm to percentage, move the decimal 1 microgram (mcg, µg) = 0.000,001 gram
point four places to the left. To convert percentage to 1 nanogram (ng) = 0.000,000,001 gram
ppm, move the decimal point four places to the right. 1 picogram (pg) = 0.000,000,000,001 gram

1 mg/g = 1 milligram/gram = 1000 ppm

1 mg/100 g = 10 ppm
1 µg/kg = 1,000,000,000 µg
1 µg/1,000,000 mg = 1 µg/1000 grams = 1 µg/kg
1 µg/g = 1 microgram /gram = 1 ppm
1 µg/ml = 1 microgram/ milliliter = 1 ppm

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VOLUME, FLUID MISCELLANEOUS

1 ounce = 29.57 milliliters Energy
1 quart = 0.946 liters 1 calorie = 4.184 joules
1 U.S. gallon = 3.785 liters 1 kcal = 1000 small calories or 4184 joules
1 gallon water = 8.345 pounds 1 joule = 0.239 calorie
1 cubic foot = 28.32 liters 1 calorie = 1000 calories = 0.003968 BTU (British
1 acre-foot = 3.259 ⫻ 105 gallons thermal units)
1 liter = 1.057 quarts 1BTU = 252 calories (gram) (at 15°C)
1 liter = 0.264 gallons
1 liter = 61.03 cubic inches Blood Levels
1 liter = 1000 milliliters g% = g/dl = grams/100 milliliters
1 teaspoon = 5 milliliters 1 µKat/l (SI units) = 60 U/l (units per liter, conventional
1 tablespoon = 15 milliliters units)
1 µmol/l = 1 micromol/liter (SI units)
1 mmol/l = 1 millimol/liter (SI units)
VOLUME, DRY
1 bushel = 8 gallons
1 bushel = 4 pecks
1 bushel = 1.24 cubic feet
1 cubic foot 28.316 liters
1 cubic foot = 25.714 quarts
1 quart = 1.101 liters
1 cubic meter = 35.314 cubic feet
1 cubic inch = 16.387 milliliters