EN ISO 11074:2025
(Main)Soil quality - Vocabulary (ISO 11074:2025)
Soil quality - Vocabulary (ISO 11074:2025)
This document defines terms used in the field of soil quality.
Bodenbeschaffenheit - Wörterbuch (ISO 11074:2025)
Dieses Dokument definiert Begriffe, die im Bereich der Bodenbeschaffenheit verwendet werden.
Qualité du sol - Vocabulaire (ISO 11074:2025)
Le présent document définit les termes utilisés dans le domaine de la qualité du sol.
Kakovost tal - Slovar (ISO 11074:2025)
Ta dokument opredeljuje izraze, ki se uporabljajo na področju kakovosti tal.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-september-2025
Nadomešča:
SIST EN ISO 11074:2015
SIST EN ISO 11074:2015/A1:2020
Kakovost tal - Slovar (ISO 11074:2025)
Soil quality - Vocabulary (ISO 11074:2025)
Bodenbeschaffenheit - Wörterbuch (ISO 11074:2025)
Qualité du sol - Vocabulaire (ISO 11074:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 11074:2025
ICS:
01.040.13 Okolje. Varovanje zdravja. Environment. Health
Varnost (Slovarji) protection. Safety
(Vocabularies)
13.080.01 Kakovost tal in pedologija na Soil quality and pedology in
splošno general
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
EN ISO 11074
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
March 2025
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 01.040.13; 13.080.01 Supersedes EN ISO 11074:2015, EN ISO
11074:2015/A1:2020
English Version
Soil quality - Vocabulary (ISO 11074:2025)
Qualité du sol - Vocabulaire (ISO 11074:2025) Bodenbeschaffenheit - Wörterbuch (ISO 11074:2025)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 3 February 2025.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
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COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 11074:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
European foreword
This document (EN ISO 11074:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 190 "Soil
quality" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 444 “Environmental characterization of
solid matrices” the secretariat of which is held by NEN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 2025, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by September 2025.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 11074:2015.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards
body/national committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 11074:2025 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 11074:2025 without any modification.
International
Standard
ISO 11074
Third edition
Soil quality — Vocabulary
2025-03
Qualité du sol — Vocabulaire
Reference number
ISO 11074:2025(en) © ISO 2025
ISO 11074:2025(en)
© ISO 2025
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
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Published in Switzerland
ii
ISO 11074:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
Annex A (informative) Relationships between sampling operations .60
Bibliography .62
Index .64
iii
ISO 11074:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 190, Soil quality, in collaboration with
the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 444, Environmental
characterization of solid matrices, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO
and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 11074:2015), which has been technically
revised. It also incorporates the Amendment ISO 11074:2015/Amd 1:2020.
The main changes are as follows:
— terminological entries have been reorganised with all the terms and definitions placed in Clause 3 in
alphabetical order;
— terms that have different definitions depending on the context have been grouped, and the domain has
been added in angle brackets to differentiate them.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
ISO 11074:2025(en)
Introduction
This document defines soil quality terms. The previous editions (ISO 11074:2015 and ISO 11074/Amd 1:2020)
presented terms and definitions in separate clauses to differentiate the terms about e.g. sampling,
remediation. This became more and more artificial, since soil quality experts with different expertise need
to work closely together and there is a greater need for one term list instead of multiple ones, where experts
first need to find out in which clause a specific term is located. In this edition, all the terms are included in
Clause 3.
For some terms, there are different definitions, depending on the context. These terms are presented after
each other, with the differentiating domains between brackets: . Often these are a general domain
and a specific domain, resulting in different definitions.
Though the terms apply to all other ISO/TC 190 soil quality standards, this document does not cover all the
terms used in ISO/TC 190 soil quality standards.
New and revised standards are published continuously though time. The revision periods of soil quality
standards differ. That means that definitions of the same terms can be different in specific soil quality
standard and in this document.
NOTE For general terms relating to quality, see ISO 9000.
v
International Standard ISO 11074:2025(en)
Soil quality — Vocabulary
1 Scope
This document defines terms used in the field of soil quality.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
abandoned hazardous site
hazardous site (3.201) left by the owner or other responsible party in unmanaged condition
3.2
abandoned industrial site
industrial site (3.443) left by the owner or other responsible party in unmanaged condition
3.3
abandoned potentially hazardous site
site (3.443), left by the owner or other responsible party in unmanaged condition, whose history leads to a
suspicion that it can be hazardous
3.4
abandoned waste disposal site
waste disposal site (3.443) left by the owner or other responsible party in unmanaged condition
3.5
abiotic decomposition
decomposition (3.113) by physical and/or chemical processes (e.g. photolysis, hydrolysis (3.211), oxidation
(3.305), and reduction (3.373))
3.6
abiotic degradation
degradation (3.116) by physical and/or chemical processes
3.7
above-ground sampling
process of taking samples (3.398) from material that has been deposited on the ground surface
EXAMPLE Samples are taken from a stockpile (3.496) (including bulk volumes (3.64) of excavated soils (3.154)),
deposit of waste or embankment (see ISO 18400-104:2018).
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.8
accumulation
increase of the concentration (3.86) of a substance in soil due to the fact that the substance input (3.508) is
larger than the substance output (3.509)
Note 1 to entry: Substance output includes material which is degraded.
3.9
active protective measure
process designed, for example, to control groundwater (3.191) migration or gas migration (3.178)
EXAMPLE Pumped water extraction or gas extraction system.
3.10
active soil gas sampling
sampling (3.410) by extracting a certain volume of soil gas (3.454)
3.11
actual increment size
amount of material that is present in an increment (3.218)
3.12
actual sample size
amount of material that is present in the sample (3.398)
3.13
aerobic
descriptive of a condition with molecular oxygen available
3.14
aerobic biological treatment
biological treatment (3.46) in the presence of oxygen
3.15
aftercare management
measures applied on completion of remedial works or as an integral part of a containment (3.90) strategy to
ensure continued effectiveness (3.142) over the long term
3.16
aggressive soil conditions
soil conditions potentially damaging to buildings and construction materials
3.17
air-sparging
introduction of air under pressure into the groundwater (3.191)
3.18
aliphatic hydrocarbon
acyclic or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated carbon compound, excluding aromatic compounds
3.19
aliquot
known amount of a homogeneous (3.204) material, assumed to be taken with negligible sampling error (3.413)
Note 1 to entry: The term is usually applied to fluids.
3.20
ammonification
microbial degradation (3.116) of organic nitrogen to ammonia
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.21
amplicon
DNA or RNA fragment obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (3.330) from a template
3.22
anaerobic
descriptive of a condition in which molecular oxygen is not available
3.23
anaerobic biological treatment
biological treatment (3.46) in the absence of gaseous or soluble oxygen
3.24
anaerobic transformation
reaction occurring under exclusion of oxygen (reducing (3.372) condition)
Note 1 to entry: This generally occurs when the redox potential (Eh) is less than 200 mV.
3.25
analytical and testing strategy
plan comprising the samples (3.398) to be analysed or tested, the parameters to be measured, sample
preparation methods, and the analytical or testing methods to be employed
Note 1 to entry: There should be associated quality assurance methods.
3.26
analytical sample
portion of material, resulting from the original sample (3.398) or composite sample (3.83) (3.84) by means of
an appropriate method of sample pretreatment (3.402) and having the size (volume/mass) necessary for the
desired testing or analysis
3.27
anisotropy
property of a soil or other volume of material to have different spatial variation structures depending on
direction and distance
Note 1 to entry: Usually illustrated in a variogram (3.566).
3.28
anthropogenic change
influence on soil properties caused by human activities
3.29
anthropogenic concentration
concentration (3.86) of a substance in a soil resulting from anthropogenic origin
Note 1 to entry: See ISO 19204:2017.
3.30
anthropogenic ground
deposits which have accumulated through human activity
Note 1 to entry: These can consist of natural materials placed/replaced by man (e.g. clay) or man-made materials
(e.g. refuse).
Note 2 to entry: See ISO 18400-104:2018.
3.31
aromatic hydrocarbon
hydrocarbon (3.210) of which the molecular structure incorporates one or more planar sets of six carbon
atoms that are connected by delocalized electrons, numbering the same as if they consisted of alternating
single and double covalent bonds
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.32
assessment criteria
criteria set up to help decide if a site (3.443) requires further investigation or other action (e.g. remediation
(3.380))
Note 1 to entry: The assessment criteria aid in interpreting the results of a quantitative risk (3.393) or other
assessment.
Note 2 to entry: For risk assessments (3.395), assessment criteria are often threshold (3.534) values for doses (3.131)
or media concentrations (3.86), such as tolerable daily intake, tolerable air, water, and soil concentrations set by
international, national, or local authorities.
3.33
available water capacity
soil water (3.479) content usable by plants based on the effective root penetration depth
Note 1 to entry: The usable field capacity (3.166) in the effective root zone is expressed in millimetres of water column.
Note 2 to entry: The available water capacity (AWC) is generally taken to be the water content between field capacity
(FC) and the permanent wilting point (3.572) (PWP) or 10 kPa to 1 500 kPa.
3.34
avoidance behaviour
tendency (of an organism) to avoid the test soil while preferring the control soil (3.95)
3.35
background concentration
concentration (3.86) of an element or a substance characteristic (3.70) of a soil type in an area or region
arising from both natural sources and anthropogenic diffuse sources such as atmospheric deposition
3.36
background value
statistical characteristics (3.495) of the total (natural pedo-geochemical and anthropogenic) content of
substances in soil
3.37
basal respiration
microbial soil respiration without addition of substrate
3.38
basal respiration rate
R
B
constant mass of CO released or mass of O consumed per unit mass of soil per unit time without substrate
2 2
addition
3.39
bedrock
in situ naturally consolidated rock either underlying drift deposits such as glacial till or exposed by past or
current erosion processes
3.40
bioaccessibility
fraction of a substance in soil or soil material (3.459) that is liberated in (human) gastrointestinal juices and
thus available for absorption
3.41
bioavailability
degree to which chemicals present in the soil can be absorbed or metabolised by a human or
ecological receptor (3.370) or are available for interaction with biological systems
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.42
bioavailability
fraction of a substance present in ingested soil that reaches the systemic circulation
(blood stream)
3.43
bioconcentration factor
BCF
ratio of the concentration (3.86) of a substance in an organism to that in the soil
3.44
biodegradation
molecular degradation (3.116) of an organic substance resulting from the complex actions of living organisms
3.45
biodiversity
variability among living organisms on the earth, including the variability within and between species, and
within and between ecosystems
Note 1 to entry: This is also often used to refer to the number and variety of organisms found within a specified
geographic region.
[SOURCE: ISO 14050:2020, 3.8.22, modified —Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.46
biological treatment
methods using the natural activities of plants or microorganisms (3.266), such as bacteria and fungi, to
transform, destroy, fix or immobilise contaminants (3.91)
3.47
biomass
total mass of living organisms or parts of them
Note 1 to entry: Biomass is expressed as fresh or dry mass of test organism or fresh or dry mass per test unit.
3.48
biomass
total mass of test organisms or parts of them expressed as dry mass or fresh mass of test organism
or dry mass or fresh mass per test unit
3.49
biomass
total mass of shoots, flowers and seed pods
Note 1 to entry: Biomass is expressed as dry mass per plant or, if needed, as dry mass per pot. During the test period,
some of the test plants can reach different growth (3.194) stages and their water content can differ when the plants
are harvested. Thus, the dry mass better represents the biomass produced during the growth period.
3.50
bioreactor
equipment in which biotreatment is applied to a solid, liquid, or slurry
3.51
bioremediation
use of biological treatment (3.46) methods to decontaminate soil or groundwater (3.191)
3.52
biosolid
organic product applied to soil
EXAMPLE Sewage sludge, compost, manure, industrial products.
Note 1 to entry: Without giving a specific context, biosolid is often regarded as a component of sewage sludge.
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.53
biotreatment bed
treatment bed
above-ground bed of soil designed to enhance biodegradation (3.44) processes, usually incorporating means
of collecting leachate and often means of maintaining oxygen (in aerobic processes) and nutrient levels
Note 1 to entry: It can also include means of capturing released volatiles or means of maintaining anaerobic (3.22)
conditions.
3.54
bioventing
in situ process in which vapour extraction or air infiltration rates, or both, are adjusted to optimize
biodegradation (3.44) reactions
3.55
boiling point
BP
point at which the vapour pressure of a liquid equals the external pressure acting on the surface of liquid
Note 1 to entry: It is expressed in degrees Celsius.
3.56
boring
borehole
bore
hole of any predetermined diameter and length formed in any soil, geological formation, or man-made
material by drilling (3.134)
3.57
bottom barrier system
in-ground (largely) horizontal barrier used to isolate or contain a site (3.443), or both
3.58
bound residues
non-extractable residues
chemical species in plants and soils, that cannot be extracted without significantly changing the chemical
nature of these residues
EXAMPLE Chemical species originating from organic molecules.
Note 1 to entry: These non-extractable residues are considered to exclude fragments recycled through metabolic
pathways leading to natural products.
3.59
break layer
stratum of high permeability granular material within a cover system (3.102)
Note 1 to entry: Its purpose is to stop upward capillary movement of soluble contaminants (3.91).
3.60
brownfield
land affected by former uses
3.61
brownfield
site (3.443) which:
— has been affected by former uses of the site or surrounding land;
— is derelict or underused;
— is mainly in fully developed or partly developed urban areas;
ISO 11074:2025(en)
— requires intervention to bring it back to beneficial use; and/or
— can have real or perceived contamination (3.93) problems
3.62
bulk density
ratio of the mass of a quantity of material (or one phase) and the total volume occupied by this material
(including other phases)
Note 1 to entry: This is typically a volumetric mass, but it is commonly named as “density”. The numerical values are
−3
identical or divided by the volumetric mass of water (1 t ∙ m ) at 4 °C.
3.63
bulk sample
sample (3.398) resulting from the planned aggregation or the combination of sample units
Note 1 to entry: See also composite sample (3.83)(3.84).
[SOURCE: Reference [27]]
3.64
bulk volume
volume, including the solids and pores, of an arbitrary soil mass
3.65
capillary water
water held on soil particles due to unbalanced inter-molecular attraction at the liquid boundary
EXAMPLE The rise or depression of liquids in narrow tubes, the formation of films, drops, bubbles, etc.
3.66
carcinogen
substance that causes the development of malignant cells in animals or humans
3.67
certified reference material
CRM
reference material (3.374), one or more of whose property values are certified by a technically valid
procedure accompanied by a certificate or any document allowing the identification of the origin of the
certificate
3.68
chain-of-custody procedure
procedure to ensure sample (3.398) integrity (e.g. when transferred between the field and laboratory and
within a laboratory) and to ensure that the sample will provide legally and technically defensible data
Note 1 to entry: See ISO 5667-3:2024, 3.2 for a definition of integrity.
3.69
channel sample
sample (3.398) obtained by removal of material in a channel-like shape from the soil using suitable equipment
3.70
characteristic
property or attribute of a material that is measured, compared, or observed
3.71
chemical treatment
treatment of contaminated soil, sediment (3.433), water, or other material in which the principal mechanism
for degradation (3.116) or conversion to a less environmentally harmful form is a chemical reaction or
combination of reactions
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.72
chemico-physical treatment
process-based treatment relying on combination of physical and chemical processes
3.73
classification system
ranking system
formalized system to perform a preliminary assessment (3.341)
Note 1 to entry: Formalized procedures can also aid in interpreting results of the preliminary investigation (3.342).
3.74
clay content
proportion of soil particles with a particle size < 2 µm
3.75
cloning vector
a small piece of DNA that can be stably maintained in an organism, and into which a foreign DNA fragment
can be inserted for cloning purposes
3.76
cluster sample
composite sample (3.83) (3.84) for which the increments (3.218) are taken over a small area around a
predefined sampling point (3.418)
2 2
Note 1 to entry: Sampled area is typically about 0,5 m to 1,0 m .
Note 2 to entry: Material sampled is taken from within the same stratum or from material with the same
characteristics (3.70).
3.77
community relations
processes involved in informing and consulting the local community affected by a hazardous site (3.201) and
activities to investigate or remediate it
3.78
community relations plan
formal statement of measures to be taken to inform and consult the local community
3.79
competent authority
authority that assesses investigation results and takes decisions about the severity
and urgency of the soil contamination (3.93) found, and that also assesses proposals for remediation (3.380)
or protective measures (3.354)
Note 1 to entry: Depending on the site (3.443) and the country, the competent authority can be very different.
3.80
compliance control
performance control
investigation or programme of ongoing inspection, testing, or monitoring (3.276) to confirm that a
remediation strategy (3.383) has been properly implemented (e.g. all contaminated materials have been
removed) and/or when a containment (3.90) approach has been adopted, that this continues to perform to
the specified level
3.81
compliance point
location (e.g. soil or groundwater (3.191)) where the assessment criteria (3.32) is measured to check if the
criteria are met
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.82
composite extract
extract obtained by mixing (3.272) two or more extracts from different test samples (3.528) in an
equivalent manner
Note 1 to entry: Composite extracts are used instead of composite samples (3.83) (3.84) if mixing influences the
composition of a composite sample, as is to be expected for e.g. volatile components.
3.83
composite sample
average sample
aggregated sample
two or more increments (3.218) or subsamples (3.503) mixed together in appropriate proportions,
either discretely or continuously, from which the average result of a desired characteristic (3.70) can be
obtained
3.84
composite sample
sample (3.398) made of a number of increments (3.218)
Note 1 to entry: See cluster sample (3.76).
3.85
composting
biological treatment (3.46) of contaminated soil usually (but not always) in treatment bed (3.53) where
organic substances are submitted to aerobic (3.13) transformation
3.86
concentration
mass of test substance (3.530) per unit mass of material
Note 1 to entry: Concentration is expressed as a mass fraction, in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of dry soil.
3.87
concentration method
adsorption method
method in which substances to be determined are concentrated adsorptively on an adsorbent, subsequently
desorbed and analysed
EXAMPLE Adsorbent can be activated charcoal or XAD 4 resin.
3.88
conceptual site model
synthesis of all information about a potentially contaminated site (3.92) relevant to the task in hand with
interpretation as necessary and recognition of uncertainties (3.555)
3.89
construction works
applications where soil materials (3.459) are not required to have a direct productive use although they can
support other layers intended to have a productive use
EXAMPLE Earthworks (3.138) (e.g. embankments), landscape engineering, road construction, construction of
waste disposal sites (3.443), and back filling of excavated sites or mines.
3.90
containment
isolation
control of migration of gaseous, liquid, or solid contaminated media from a site (3.443) by use of measures
such as covering systems, vertical in-ground barriers, and in-ground horizontal barriers
Note 1 to entry: Depending on site-specific factors, measures can be used alone or in combination.
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.91
contaminant
substance or agent present in an environmental medium (3.147) as a result of human activity
Note 1 to entry: There is no assumption in this definition that harm (3.198) results from the presence of the
contaminant. See also pollutant (3.328).
3.92
contaminated site
site (3.443) where contamination (3.93) is present
Note 1 to entry: There is no assumption in this definition that harm (3.198) results from the presence of contamination.
3.93
contamination
substance(s) or agent(s) present in the soil as a result of human activity
3.94
contaminant release assessment
assessment of the possibility and rate of contaminant (3.91) release based on the contaminant characteristic
(3.70) and the site (3.443) characteristics
3.95
control soil
uncontaminated substrate or natural soil, used as a control and as medium (3.262) for preparing dilution
series with test soils or chemicals, that allows the growth (3.194) of healthy plants
Note 1 to entry: Either artificial or natural standard or reference soils (3.376) can be used, if unhindered growth of the
test plants in these soils can be expected. In any case, differences in nutrient levels between a test soil and a control
soil can affect the dose (3.131) (response pattern). For example, a control soil much richer in nutrients than a test soil
can result in a false-positive result (i.e. the test soil appears to have a “toxic” effect on the growth of the test plants). If
a control soil is poorer in nutrients than a test soil, hormesis (3.206) can be expected at low soil-mixture ratios, or even
an inverse dose-response relationship (3.132), if nutrient supply becomes the main effect.
3.96
control substrate
inert substrate which does not affect spore germination, used as a control or diluent
3.97
convenience sample
sample (3.398) chosen on the basis of accessibility, expediency, cost, efficiency, or other reason not directly
concerned with sampling parameters
Note 1 to entry: The term “ad hoc sample” is sometimes applied to this type of sample.
3.98
convenience sampling
process of taking samples (3.398) based on accessibility, expediency, cost, efficiency, or other reason not
directly concerned with sampling parameters
Note 1 to entry: The samples can be taken to a predetermined plan (locations, depths etc.) or taken from locations
and/or depths decided on site (3.443) (the term “ad hoc sampling” is sometimes applied to this type of sampling).
3.99
core
more or less cylindrical section of soil or rock, usually 40 mm to 150 mm in diameter and sometimes up to
several metres in length, obtained from a borehole (3.56) or drillhole
Note 1 to entry: The complete core can also be the sample (3.398).
3.100
core sample
sample (3.398) obtained from a core (3.99)
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.101
correlatory sample
sample (3.398) collected to describe correspondence in character and/or stratigraphic position of two or
more separated areas
3.102
cover system
one or more layers of materials, such as soils, suitable mineral wastes, and geosynthetics (3.188)
(e.g. membranes, geotextiles (3.189)) superimposed on the surface of a site (3.443) (sometimes following
partial excavation (3.155)) designed to control migration of contaminants (3.91) upwards and infiltration of
rainfall, etc. downwards, and often to perform other functions such as to sustain vegetation or to provide a
platform on which construction can take place
3.103
critical concentration
quantitative estimate of a concentration (3.86) of one or more pollutants (3.328) below which significant
harmful effects on specified sensitive elements of the (soil) environment do not occur, according to existing
knowledge
3.104
critical load
quantitative estimate of the input of one or more pollutants (3.328) below which significant harmful effects
on specified sensitive elements of the (soil) environment do not occur, according to existing knowledge
3.105
cross contamination
undesired result due to:
— collection of a sample (3.398) with uncontrolled mixing (3.272) of soil material (3.459) from different soil
horizons/layers;
— addition of chemical substances to a soil sample from sampling devices (3.412), containers, reagents of
preservation, by transport conditions, means of preparation, and during analytical processing
3.106
cumulative CO evolution
cumulative O consumption
C
R
total area bounded by the line of the soil respiration rate (3.470) curve to the time axis from time of the
addition of substrate to the time of peak maximum (t )
peakmax
3.107
cutting cylinder
cylindrical device with removable top and base forced into the surface of the ground/exposed soil to obtain
an undisturbed sample (3.557)
3.108
cycle threshold
number of qPCR (3.360) cycles required for the fluorescent signal to cross the threshold (3.534) (i.e. to exceed
background level)
3.109
degraded land
land which, due to natural processes or human activity, is no longer able to properly sustain an economic
function and/or the natural or near natural ecological function
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.110
data quality objectives
statement of the required detection limits, accuracy, reproducibility, and repeatability of the required
analytical data and other data
Note 1 to entry: Generic data quality objectives can sometimes be set at national level. Data quality objectives can
also embrace amount of data required for an area of land (or part of a site (3.443)) to enable a sound comparison with
generic guidelines or standards or for a site-specific or material-specific estimation of risk (3.393).
3.111
dead volume
volume which is present between the suction opening of the soil gas probe (3.456) and the sampling vial,
including the volume of the sampling vial or the absorption tube
3.112
dechlorination
chemical process designed to remove chlorine from organic chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)
3.113
decomposition
breakdown of complex organic substances into simpler molecules or ions by physical, chemical, and/or
biological processes
3.114
decontamination
removal or partial removal of hazardous substances (3.202) from the soil, with the aim of restoring soil
functions (3.453) and reclaiming the soil for intended usage
Note 1 to entry: “Decontamination” is different from “removal of contamination”, since contamination (3.93) is not
necessarily harmful.
3.115
deep soil
soil in which plants can achieve a rooting depth of 50 cm or more
3.116
degradation
physical and chemical breakdown of the substances
3.117
degraded soil
soil whose natural properties and soil functions (3.453) have been damaged by physical, chemical and/or
biological processes
Note 1 to entry: A soil can be degraded as a result of contamination (3.93).
3.118
dehydrogenase activity
activity of hydrogen-abstracting enzymes (3.149) which are involved in many energy and biosynthesis
metabolic processes (e.g. the respiratory chain) and which require cell integrity to be produced
3.119
dense non-aqueous phase liquid
DNAPL
non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) (3.291) denser than water
EXAMPLE Trichloroethene.
Note 1 to entry: For light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL), see 3.245.
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.120
depth related sample
metric sample
sample (3.398) collected at a predefined depth independent of the present soil conditions and
characteristics (3.70)
3.121
derelict site
site (3.443) so damaged by human activity as to be incapable of beneficial use without treatment
Note 1 to entry: Damage can be to the aesthetic, physical, engineering, environmental, or contamination (3.93) aspects
of the site.
3.122
dermal exposure
rate or concentration (3.86) of substances capable of penetrating through the skin
3.123
diapause
interruption of metabolism during egg, larva, pupa, or imago development
EXAMPLE Resting phase or period of quiescence of some earthworm species to resist drought.
3.124
diffuse source input
input of a substance emitted from moving sources, from sources with a large area or from many sources
Note 1 to entry: In practice, two situations are commonly recognized: rural areas with diffuse source (3.484) inputs
typically from land spreading and aerial deposition; and urban areas where the diffuse source inputs come typically
from traffic and industrial activities.
Note 2 to entry: Diffuse source input usually leads to sites (3.443) that are relatively uniformly contaminated. At some
sites, the input conditions can nevertheless cause a higher local input, such as near the source or where atmospheric
deposition/rain is increased.
3.125
direct method
direct measuring method
method of analysis where the soil gas (3.454) sample (3.398) (aliquot (3.19)) is directly introduced into a
suitable equipment without first being concentrated and subjected to analysis
3.126
direct-reading detecting tube
tube filled with reagents which, after drawing through certain gaseous compounds, show concentration-
dependent chromophoric reactions, and which is thus used for qualitative and semi-quantitative analyses as well
Note 1 to entry: Attention should be paid to cross-sensitivities.
Note 2 to entry: The tube can be made of glass.
3.127
displacement barrier
in-ground barrier installed without excavation (3.155)
EXAMPLE Sheet steel piling.
3.128
dissolved organic carbon
DOC
concentration (3.86) of organic carbon (3.300) remaining in solution after filtration and/or centrifugation
under defined conditions
Note 1 to entry: It is expressed in mg/l, g/m .
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.129
disturbed sample
sample (3.398) obtained from the ground without preservation of the soil structure (3.475)
EXAMPLE Sample obtained by using an auger.
3.130
donor site
site (3.443) from which soil material (3.459) is removed for use on a target site (3.522)
3.131
dose
amount of a substance reaching a receptor (3.370)
Note 1 to entry: For a human or other animal receptor, this is commonly expressed in terms of the amount of substance
per unit of body weight per unit of time (e.g. mg/kg/day). Analogous concepts can be applied to other potential
receptors.
3.132
dose-response relationship
effect a given dose (3.131) (or equivalent quantity for non-animal receptors (3.370)) has on the receptor
3.133
dredged material
solid material excavated or otherwise removed from waters, e.g. during maintenance, construction,
reconstruction and harbour or channel extension operation
Note 1 to entry: Dredged material may consist of sediments (3.433) and soil taken from below the water surface.
3.134
drilling
process by which a borehole (3.56) is produced in any soil, geological formation, or man-made deposit by
rotary, rotary percussive, percussive, or thrust methods and in any predetermined direction in relation to
the drill rig
Note 1 to entry: Two types of sample (3.398) can be obtained by drilling: sludge/mud sample (3.279) and core sample
(3.100).
3.135
drying
process of removing the soil water (3.479) from a sample (3.398)
Note 1 to entry: In soil analysis, the following four kinds of drying may be applied:
— air drying;
— oven drying;
— chemical drying;
— freeze drying.
3.136
DT-50
time taken for the concentration (3.86) of a given compound to be reduced by 50 % of its original value
3.137
DT-90
time taken for the concentration (3.86) of a given compound to be reduced by 90 % of its original value
ISO 11074:2025(en)
3.138
earthwork
reuse of soil material (3.391) for civil engineering and construction purposes
Note 1 to entry: The same word can also refer to the material accumulated during an operation of earthwork.
3.139
ecological effect
change to an aspect of the ecosystem caused by anthropogenic stress factors
Note 1 to entry: Changes (see also assessment criteria (3.32)) to an ecosystem as a result of the presence of contaminants
(3.91) are regarded as negative changes regardless of the direction. In addition, the variation in space, time and
parameters is important (see ISO 18504:2017).
3.140
ecosystem service
service that is (directly or indirectly) provided by an ecosystem to benefit people
3.141
effect concentration for x % effect
ECx
concentration (3.86) (mass fraction) of a test material (3.524) or test substance (3.530) that causes x % of an
effect on a given end point within a given exposure (3.159) (3.160) period, when compared with a control
Note 1 to entry: The ECx is expressed as a percentage of soil or test material per dry mass of soil mixture. When
chemicals are tested, the ECx is expressed as mass of the test substance per dry mass of soil, in milligrams per
kilogram.
3.142
effectiveness
measure of
...
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