Priority Substances List Assessment Report for Ammonia in the Aquatic Environment

Appendix F Search Strategies Employed for Identification of Relevant Data

Environmental assessment

Data relevant to the assessment of whether ammonia is "toxic" to the environment under CEPA were identified from existing review documents, published reference texts and on-line searches conducted between January 1996 and January 1999. The following scientific databases were searched: Aquatic Science and Fisheries Abstracts (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts; 1978-1996), AQUIRE (Aquatic Toxicity Information Retrieval, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), Biosis Previews (1969-1996), CESARS (Chemical Evaluation Search and Retrieval System, Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Michigan Department of Natural Resources), CHRIS (Chemical Hazard Release Information System, U.S. Coast Guard; 1964-1985), Current Contents (Institute for Scientific Information; 1996-1998), ELIAS (Environmental Library Integrated Automated System, Environment Canada library), Enviroline (R.R. Bowker Publishing Company; 1975-1996), Environmental Bibliography (1974-1995), MUD (Municipal Water Use Database, Environment Canada; 1996), NTIS (National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce; 1964-1996), Pollution Abstracts (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts; 1970-1996) and RTECS (Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances, U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), as well as water quality databases from Environment Canada, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador and the National Pollutant Release Inventory (Environment Canada; 1994-1996). Searches were also performed between 1997 and 1999 on library systems across Canada. Surveys of Canadian industry and municipalities, other than in Quebec, were conducted to determine the use and release of ammonia. Additional relevant information was obtained voluntarily from municipalities and companies. Data obtained after January 1999 were not considered in this assessment unless they were critical data received during the 60-day public review of the report (May 13 to July 12, 2000).