EN ISO 18763 Standard Test for Soil Quality

EUROLAB, together with its state-of-the-art accredited laboratories and expert team, provides precise and fast testing services within the scope of EN ISO 18763 testing. EN ISO 18763 describes a technique for determining the effects of soil and soil-related materials on seed germination and early growth of higher plants.

These extremes are useful indicators for assessing the quality of a soil as a habitat for organisms. It can be applied to all soils where soil organisms are active and can be used to assess:

• Effects on plants resulting from the toxicity of solid or liquid chemicals polluting the soil or materials (compost, sludge, waste) and chemicals added to the soil;
• Changes in soil impact on plants after restoration measures.

Ecotoxicological testing of test soils or waste materials to be landfilled is required to assess the potential environmental risk from soil pollution or the dumping of wastes such as sewage sludge on farmland. There is also a need to monitor the quality of the soil after the reclamation of industrial zones. Therefore, a very practical and rapid germination and growth test has been developed based on seed germination and seedling growth under controlled environmental conditions.

This method compares the seed germination and early growth of monocots and dicots in a series of mixtures with a test soil or a control soil. This method can also be used to test compost, mud or waste.

Both reference and standard soils can be used as control soils if test plants can be expected to grow unhindered in these soils. When comparing root elongation in soils of known and unknown quality, the control soil and the soil tested should be of the same textural grade and should be as similar as possible in all respects except for the presence of the chemical or contaminant under investigation. Indeed, significant differences in soil properties other than the presence of contaminants can lead to differences in root lengths and result in false positive test results.

EUROLAB assists manufacturers with EN ISO 18763 test compliance. Our test experts, with their professional working mission and principles, provide you, our manufacturers and suppliers, the best service and controlled testing process in our laboratories. Thanks to these services, businesses receive more effective, high-performance and quality testing services and provide safe, fast and uninterrupted service to their customers.