Caspian Sea of around 149,200 square miles (386,400 square km)— bigger than the region of Japan—and its surface lies somewhere in the range of 90 feet (27 meters) below sea level. The sea bed in the southern part reaches as low as 1,023 m (3,356 ft) below sea level, which is the second lowest natural depression on earth after Lake Baikal (−1,180 m, −3,871 ft). The ancient inhabitants of its coast perceived the Caspian Sea as an ocean, probably because of its saltiness and large size. The sea has a surface area of 371,000 km (143,200 sq mi) (not including the detached
Lowest-observed-adverse-effect level LOAEL refers to a dose of chemical that is ingested, while a LOAEC refers to direct exposure to a chemical (e.g., through gills or the skin). Lowest-observed-adverse-effect level The lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) is the lowest concentration or amount of a substance found by experiment or observation that causes an adverse alteration of morphology, function, capacity, growth, development, or lifespan of a target organism distinguished from normal organisms of the same species under defined conditions of exposure. Federal agencies use set approval standards below this level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines LOAEL as the 'lowest level of a chemical