SIST EN ISO 11268-2:2023 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 11268-2:2023 (CEN endorsed) is the international standard for assessing soil quality by measuring the chronic effects of pollutants on earthworm reproduction. It specifies a laboratory method to determine sublethal impacts on reproduction of Eisenia fetida / Eisenia andrei (dermal and alimentary uptake) and provides guidance for other ecologically relevant species and tropical conditions. The 2023 edition supersedes the 2015 version and is part of the ISO 11268 series for soil ecotoxicology.

Key topics and requirements

• Test objective: Chronic reproduction test to quantify effects of soil contaminants on adult earthworm reproduction (juvenile production/cocoon hatchability).
• Target organisms: Primary - Eisenia fetida / Eisenia andrei. Informative annexes describe procedures for Dendrodilus rubidus and Aporrectodea caliginosa and culturing details.
• Exposure routes: Dermal and alimentary uptake from soils and soil materials (contaminated sites, amended/remediated soils, wastes).
• Test design elements: Preliminary and definitive tests, preparation of test mixtures, control soil preparation, addition and culturing of earthworms, measurement intervals and endpoints.
• Data handling: Calculation and expression of results, validity criteria, statistical analysis approaches for single- and multi-concentration designs, and mandatory test reporting items.
• Limitations and exclusions: Not applicable for substances with an air/soil partition coefficient > 1 or vapour pressure > 300 Pa (at 25 °C). The method does not account for test substance persistence in soil.
• Reference substance: Updated concentration guidance for boric acid as a reference toxicant (change noted in this edition).
• Annexes: Normative and informative annexes cover water-holding capacity, juvenile counting techniques, tropical testing guidance, culturing methods, and experience with performance criteria.

Applications

• Environmental laboratories performing ecotoxicological soil testing and chronic toxicity assays.
• Regulatory agencies and risk assessors who need biologically based evidence of habitat function impacts from soil contaminants.
• Contaminated site managers, remediation consultants, waste assessors, and soil scientists evaluating remediation success, land reuse suitability, or effects of amendments.
• Chemical safety assessment for substances that remain in soil (when within the method’s applicability limits).

Practical value

• Provides a standardized, reproducible method to evaluate biological consequences of soil pollution on soil fauna.
• Complements chemical analyses by revealing ecologically relevant impacts on soil function (reproduction of earthworms).
• Supports compliance, risk assessment, remediation monitoring, and comparative testing across laboratories and jurisdictions.

Related standards

• ISO 11268 series (other parts for earthworm tests)
• ISO 15799 and ISO 17616 (guidance on bioassay selection and complementary ecotoxicological testing)

Keywords: soil quality standard, effects of pollutants on earthworms, earthworm reproduction test, Eisenia fetida, Eisenia andrei, chronic toxicity test, soil contamination assessment, ecotoxicology, ISO 11268-2:2023.