ISO DIS 21285

Description / Abstract: This document specifies a chronic test method for evaluating the habitat function of soils and determining effects of soil contaminants and substances on the reproduction of Hypoaspis aculeifer by – mainly – alimentary uptake. This chronic test is applicable to soils and soil materials of unknown quality, e. g. from contaminated sites, amended soils, soils after remediation, industrial, agricultural or other sites under concern and waste materials (e. g. dredged material, municipal sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, composed material, or manure, especially those for possible land disposal). The test reflects the bioavailability of a mixture of contaminants in natural soils (contaminated site soils) to a species which represents a trophic level which is so far not covered by ISO. The reproduction (= number of juveniles) is the measured parameter of the test. It is not intended to use this test to replace the earthworm (ISO 11268-2) or Collembola reproduction tests (ISO 11267) since this species belongs not only to another trophic group but also to another taxonomic group (= mites; i.e. arachnids) than the other test species used so far.

Effects of substances are assessed using a standard soil, preferably a defined artificial soil substrate. For contaminated soils, the effects are determined in the soil to be tested and in a control soil. According to the objective of the study, the control and dilution substrate (dilution series of contaminated soil) are either an uncontaminated soil comparable to the soil to be tested (reference soil) or a standard soil (e. g. artificial soil).

This document provides information how to use this method for testing substances under temperate conditions.

This document is not applicable to substances for which the air/soil partition coefficient is greater than one, or to substances with vapour pressure exceeding 300 Pa at 25°C.

NOTE The stability of the test substance cannot be assured over the test period. No provision is made in the test method for monitoring the persistence of the substance under test.