ISO 17586-2016 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 17586:2016 — Soil quality — Extraction of trace elements using dilute nitric acid. Specifies a laboratory method for extracting potentially environmentally available trace elements from soils and soil‑like materials by using a dilute nitric acid solution at approximately pH 0.5.

Abstract

This International Standard defines the principle and procedure for an extraction intended to remove trace elements that are potentially available to the environment (as referenced to ISO 17402). The method is applicable to all soils and soil‑like materials and yields an extract suitable for subsequent instrumental determination of trace elements.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard; confirmed in 2021).
• Publication date: 18 February 2016.
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.080.10 — Chemical characteristics of soils.
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2016).
• Number of pages: 14.

Summary information above is taken from the published ISO record for ISO 17586:2016.

Scope

ISO 17586:2016 specifies a method of extracting trace elements from soil at approximately pH 0.5 using a dilute nitric acid solution. The extracted fraction is intended to represent the potentially environmentally available trace elements (as defined in ISO 17402). The method is stated to be applicable to all soils and soil‑like materials.

Key topics and requirements

• Purpose and principle — extraction of potentially available trace elements from soils using a dilute HNO3 solution (target pH ≈ 0.5).
• Scope of application — suitable for a wide range of soils and soil‑like matrices; intended to produce an extract for instrumental analysis.
• Sample preparation and handling requirements to minimise contamination and changes in speciation prior to extraction.
• Reagents, concentrations and control of extraction acidity (dilute nitric acid at the specified pH).
• Extraction procedure and separation of the extract for analysis (instructions on mixing, contact time and separation are given in the standard text).
• Quality control and reporting — requirements for blanks, replicates and documentation to ensure traceability and comparability of results.
• Intended downstream analysis — extract suitable for determination of trace elements by appropriate instrumental techniques (laboratory selection of analytical technique is outside the extraction standard itself).

Typical use and users

Used by environmental and soil testing laboratories, contract analytical services, consultants in contaminated land and remediation, research laboratories studying trace element mobility and availability, and regulatory agencies establishing screening or monitoring programs for soil contamination.

Related standards

ISO 17586:2016 is referenced to and used in conjunction with ISO 17402 (definitions and concepts for potentially available elements) and sits within the ISO/TC 190 series of soil quality standards; it is commonly used alongside other ISO soil chemical‑characteristics methods when preparing samples or interpreting extractable fractions.

Keywords

soil quality; trace elements; extraction; dilute nitric acid; HNO3; pH 0.5; potentially available; soil testing; environmental availability; ISO 17402.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: An ISO International Standard (ISO 17586:2016) that specifies a laboratory extraction method using dilute nitric acid to recover potentially environmentally available trace elements from soils and soil‑like materials.

Q: What does it cover?

A: The method covers reagent specification, sample preparation, execution of the dilute nitric acid extraction at approximately pH 0.5, separation of the extract and quality‑control/reporting requirements for producing an extract suitable for instrumental trace‑element determination.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Environmental and analytical laboratories, remediation consultants, researchers in soil chemistry and mobility of contaminants, and regulatory bodies that require standardized, comparable extraction data for soils.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 17586:2016 is published and was reviewed/confirmed in 2021 and remains the current edition of the ISO standard. Some national bodies have issued national adoptions of the standard (for example SS‑ISO 17586:2025 as a Swedish adoption).

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of the ISO soil quality family of standards (ISO/TC 190), and is intended to be used alongside related soil chemical‑characteristics and method standards such as ISO 17402 which defines the notion of potentially available trace elements.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Trace elements, soil quality, dilute nitric acid extraction, environmental availability, pH 0.5, soil testing, ISO 17586, ISO 17402.