ISO 18589-2:2022

Overview

ISO 18589-2:2022 - Measurement of radioactivity in the environment - Soil - Part 2 provides practical guidance for selecting a sampling strategy, carrying out soil sampling, and pre-treating samples for measurement of radionuclide activity. Aligned with ISO 11074 and ISO/IEC 17025, this third-edition standard covers soils and related granular materials (sludge, sediments, construction debris, solid wastes and materials from technologically enhanced NORM/TENORM such as mining, coal combustion and phosphate fertilizer production). It is intended for personnel responsible for determining radioactivity in soil for radiation protection, environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Sampling strategy selection: criteria to choose probabilistic, oriented or hybrid strategies based on study objectives and site radiological characterization.
• Sampling plan development: defining sampling areas, units and points; depth selection tied to study goals; documentation and mapping of sampling locations.
• Field sampling methods and equipment: general guidance on collecting surface soil, soil profiles and composite samples while maintaining representativity and traceability.
• Sample identification, packaging, transport and storage: requirements to preserve sample integrity and chain of custody from field to laboratory.
• Pre‑treatment of samples: laboratory procedures and equipment considerations for preparing soils and related matrices prior to radionuclide assay.
• Determination of deposited activity: approaches using surface activity data and integration over soil profiles.
• Quality management alignment: applies the principles of ISO/IEC 17025 and references ISO 11074, ensuring suitability for accredited laboratories.
• Documentation and reporting: recommended records, sample sheets and examples (informative annexes) to support reproducibility and regulatory needs.

Practical applications and users

ISO 18589-2:2022 is used by:

• Environmental testing laboratories and accredited facilities
• Regulatory bodies and nuclear site operators
• Environmental consultants, remediation and decommissioning teams
• Mining, coal, fertilizer and industrial sectors dealing with NORM/TENORM
• Public health and emergency response organizations

Typical applications include baseline surveys, contamination mapping, post-incident site characterization, routine environmental monitoring and compliance testing where accurate, representative measurement of radionuclides in soil is required.

Related standards

• ISO 18589 series (other parts cover laboratory processing and specific measurement methods)
• ISO/IEC 17025 (laboratory competence and quality)
• ISO 11074 (sampling principles and requirements)

By following ISO 18589-2:2022, organizations can improve the representativity, traceability and quality of soil radioactivity data - supporting reliable risk assessment, regulatory compliance and transparent environmental decision-making.