DIN EN ISO 15952:2011-09

This International Standard specifies a semi-static method for the determination of the effects of contaminants on growth and survival of young snails, usually Helix aspersa aspersa Müller (Cornu aspersum). The animals are exposed via the cutaneous and digestive route using a test substrate (artificial or natural soil according to the objective of the study) to which defined amounts of the following are added: - substances or preparations; - soils (contaminated or of unknown quality) or waste materials. A static method may be implemented in addition to the semi-static method (optional). This method is described in Annex A. This International Standard does not apply to volatile substances, that is, substances for which the Henry constant, H, or the air/water partition coefficient is over 1, or for which the vapour pressure is over 0,013 3 Pa at 25 °C. This test takes into account the possible change in the test substance, preparation, soil or waste material because the test mixture is prepared and renewed every 7 days during the 28-day test period. Because of the limited amount of data available concerning toxicity of contaminants on soil organisms, the problems of assessing the ecotoxicity of soils and waste are cause for serious concern at both national and international levels. Currently available tests use soil-fauna organisms restricted to annelid (earthworms and Enchytraeidae) and arthropod phyla (insects: Collembola and Coleoptera). Among the latter, two standards assess acute toxicity [earthworms (ISO 11268-1) and coleoptera larvae] and three other standards assess sublethal effects of soil contaminants on reproduction (earthworms, Collembola, Enchytraeidae). In the biological cycles of organisms, it appears that growth is, like reproduction, a fundamental ecophysiological parameter to be taken into consideration for the sustainability of species and ecosystems. The text of ISO 15952:2006 has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 190 "Soil quality" of the International Organization of standardization (ISO) and has been adopted as EN ISO 15952:2011 by Technical Committee CEN/TC 345 "Characterization of soils", the secretariat of which is held by NEN. The text of ISO 15952:2006 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 15952:2011 without any alterations. The Committee responsible for this standard is NA 119-01-02-04 UA "Biologische Verfahren" ("Biological Methods") at DIN.