ISO activities

ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation)

ISO and its national partners (e.g. the German Institute for Standardisation, DIN) are non-profit associations that are responsible for setting and publishing standards and guidance papers for technical equipment and experimental methods. Members of ECT’s staff are active in the Committees ISO/TC 190/SC 4 ‘Biological methods’, especially in the working groups ‘Effects on soil fauna’ (WG 2), ‘Effects on soil flora’ (WG 3), ‘Effects on soil microorganisms’ (WG 4), ISO/TC 190/SC 7 (WG 3 ‘Ecotoxicological characterisation of soils and soil materials’ and WG 8 ‘Bioavailability’). From 2012 to 2021, Jörg Römbke served as convenor of SC 4, WG 2 ‘Effects on Soil fauna’. This role has since been taken over by Stephan Jänsch.

ECT contributed significantly to the standardisation of the following methods and guidelines:

  • ISO/DIS 23265: Soil quality – Test for estimating organic matter decomposition in contaminated soil
  • ISO/DIS 23266: Soil quality – Inhibition of reproduction in oribatid mites (Oppia nitens)
  • ISO 21286: Soil quality – Identification of ecotoxicological test species by DNA barcoding
  • ISO 19204: Soil quality – Procedure for site-specific ecological risk assessment of soil contamination (soil quality TRIAD approach)
  • ISO 18311: Soil quality – Method for testing effects of soil contaminants on the feeding activity of soil dwelling organisms – Bait-lamina test
  • ISO 18187: Soil quality – Contact test for solid samples using the dehydrogenase activity of Arthrobacter globiformis
  • ISO 23611-6: Soil quality – Sampling of soil invertebrates – Part 6: Guidance for the design of sampling programs with soil invertebrates
  • ISO 17512-1: Soil quality – Avoidance test for determining the quality of soils and effects of chemicals on behaviour – Part 1: Test with earthworms (Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei)
  • ISO 23611-3: Soil quality – Sampling of soil invertebrates – Part 3: Sampling and soil extraction of enchytraeids
  • ISO 23611-1: Soil quality – Sampling of soil invertebrates – Part 1: Hand-sorting and formalin extraction of earthworms
  • ISO 16387: Soil quality – Effects of pollutants on Enchytraeidae (Enchytraeus sp.). Determination of effects on reproduction and survival
  • ISO 22030: Soil quality – Biological methods – Chronic toxicity in higher plants

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