ISO 10381-5-2005 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 10381-5:2005 — Soil quality — Sampling — Part 5: Guidance on the procedure for the investigation of urban and industrial sites with regard to soil contamination. This part gives guidance on planning and carrying out site investigations where contamination is known or suspected, and on the type of information needed for risk assessment and remediation planning.

Abstract

Provides recommendations for an iterative, staged approach to site investigation (preliminary, exploratory and main investigations), describes information collection (desk study and site reconnaissance), sampling considerations, development of a conceptual site model, data quality objectives, and reporting to support risk assessment and remedial decision-making.

General information

• Status: Withdrawn (superseded by later ISO 18400-series standards).
• Publication date: October 2005 (Edition 1).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.080.05 (Examination of soils in general).
• Edition / version: Edition 1, 2005.
• Number of pages: 35 pages.

Key bibliographic and lifecycle facts above are taken from the ISO bibliographic record and contemporary standards catalogues.

Scope

Applies to the investigation of urban and industrial sites where soil contamination is known or suspected, or where soil quality must be determined. It focuses on gathering the information necessary to assess contamination status, identify contaminants and pathways, set data quality objectives, and support risk assessment and the design of remedial measures. It does not prescribe specific analytical methods or remediation techniques.

Key topics and requirements

• Phased investigation strategy: preliminary (desk study and walk‑over), exploratory, and main site investigations.
• Development and iterative refinement of a conceptual site model to define sources, pathways and receptors.
• Definition of investigation objectives and data quality objectives before sampling to ensure fit-for-purpose data.
• Guidance on sampling design, sample types, spatial coverage and depth considerations for contaminated urban/industrial sites.
• Recommendations on minimizing spread of contamination during intrusive works and on safe working practices (cross-reference to other sampling parts).
• Reporting requirements to support risk assessment and remedial decision-making.

These topics are summarized from the standard text and guidance excerpts.

Typical use and users

Used by environmental consultants, site investigators, remediation contractors, regulators, and responsible parties to plan and document investigations of potentially contaminated urban and industrial land. Typical uses include preliminary site assessments, delineation of contamination extents, data collection for human and ecological risk assessments, and providing input to remediation design.

Related standards

ISO 10381-5:2005 is one part of the ISO 10381 soil sampling series and cross-references other sampling parts (e.g., ISO 10381-3 for sampling planning and safety). It was withdrawn and its coverage has been superseded and updated by parts of the ISO 18400 series (for example ISO 18400-104:2018, ISO 18400-202:2018 and ISO 18400-203:2018).

Keywords

soil quality, sampling, contaminated land, site investigation, urban sites, industrial sites, conceptual site model, risk assessment, sampling strategy, data quality objectives

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 10381-5:2005 is an ISO guidance standard on sampling and investigation procedures for urban and industrial sites with known or suspected soil contamination.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers planning and executing phased site investigations (preliminary, exploratory and main investigations), information gathering, sampling strategy considerations, data quality objectives, conceptual site model development, and reporting to support risk assessment and remediation planning. It does not specify laboratory analytical methods.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Environmental consultants, site investigators, regulators, remediation designers and contractors, and other professionals involved in contaminated‑land assessment and cleanup.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 10381-5:2005 has been withdrawn and its subject matter has been superseded by later ISO standards in the ISO 18400 series (published in 2018). Some national bodies issued corresponding adoptions/confirmations around 2007 and documented withdrawal around 2018.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it formed part of the ISO 10381 series on soil sampling and is related to other sampling parts (for sampling planning, sampling of specific matrices and safety) and to successor ISO 18400-series standards that provide updated sampling and investigation methods.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Soil sampling, contaminated land, site investigation, conceptual site model, preliminary investigation, exploratory investigation, main site investigation, data quality objectives.