ISO 21268-5:2023

Soil quality — Leaching procedures for subsequent chemical and ecotoxicological testing of soil and soil-like materials — Part 5: Batch test with forced aerobic or anaerobic conditions

Scope

This document specifies a test with which in situ available concentrations of inorganic substances (such as heavy metals, arsenic and phosphorus) and organic substances in soil and soil-like materials can be simulated under forced aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The toxicity can then be estimated based on these available concentrations.
The test described in this document aims to measure the release of inorganic and organic substances from soil and soil-like material as well as to produce eluates for subsequent ecotoxicological testing. For ecotoxicological testing, see ISO 15799 and ISO 17616.
The eluate obtained can subsequently be characterized by physical, chemical and ecotoxicological methods in accordance with existing standard methods. The test is not suitable for substances that are volatile under ambient conditions.
This procedure is not applicable to materials with a dry-matter-content ratio lower than 33 %.
This test is mainly aimed at being used for routine and control purposes, and it cannot be used alone to describe all leaching properties of a soil. Additional leaching tests are needed for that extended goal. This document does not address issues related to health and safety. It only determines the leaching properties outlined in Clause 4.