ISO 18400-100:2017

Overview

ISO 18400-100:2017, "Soil quality - Sampling - Part 100: Guidance on the selection of sampling standards," defines the structure and coherence of soil sampling standards across the ISO 18400 series. It is a generic guidance standard that helps users select appropriate soil sampling standards for any kind of soil investigation by describing a three‑level framework and how the parts of the series interact.

Key Topics

• Three‑level approach to sampling standards
  • Level 1 - General, cross‑cutting concepts (foundations, statistics, terminology, safety, QA, transport and storage).
  • Level 2 - Application‑specific guidance (natural/cultivated soils, contaminated sites, biological parameters, soil gas, nutrient characterization).
  • Level 3 - Detailed operational procedures for specific circumstances and objectives; allows comparable national or stakeholder‑specific methods.
• Selection guidance - How to choose the correct level and specific standard(s) based on investigation objectives (e.g., nutrient assessment vs. human‑health risk evaluation).
• Coherence and compatibility - Ensures Level 3 methods align with Level 2 guidance and Level 1 principles.
• Normative references - Uses ISO 11074 (Soil quality - Vocabulary) for terms and definitions.
• Annex A - Lists the existing and relevant ISO 18400 parts to assist users in finding the right standard.

Practical Applications

Who uses ISO 18400-100 and how:

• Environmental consultants and site investigators - to select appropriate sampling standards when assessing contaminated land, planning investigations or producing sampling plans.
• Laboratories and QA managers - to align sample handling, transport, storage and quality assurance procedures with standard guidance.
• Regulators and policy makers - to reference a harmonized structure when specifying sampling requirements for compliance, remediation or monitoring.
• Agronomists, soil scientists and researchers - to choose methods suitable for nutrient analysis, biological parameter assessment or soil gas studies.
• Contractors and field teams - to identify the correct operational procedures (Level 3) for specific sampling objectives such as VOC sampling.

Practical value:

• Helps build a consistent sampling strategy and sampling plan.
• Reduces ambiguity when selecting methods for different soil types and investigation aims.
• Supports interoperability between international and national sampling procedures.

Related Standards

Annex A of ISO 18400-100 lists relevant parts in the ISO 18400 series, including:

• ISO 18400-101 (sampling plan framework)
• ISO 18400-102 (choice and application of sampling techniques)
• ISO 18400-103 (safety)
• ISO 18400-104 (strategies)
• ISO 18400-105 (packaging, transport, storage)
• ISO 18400-106 (quality control and assurance)
• ISO 18400-107 (recording and reporting)
• Level 2 items such as ISO 18400-201/202/203/204/205/206 for application‑specific guidance.

Keywords: ISO 18400-100, soil quality, soil sampling guidance, sampling standards, sampling plan, contaminated sites, soil gas sampling, biological sampling, sampling strategy.