ISO 11074-2025 PDF

Full title and description

St ISO 11074-2025 — Soil quality — Vocabulary. International standard that provides a harmonized list of terms and definitions used across the field of soil quality, including descriptors for soil properties, sampling and sample types, contamination and remediation, and assessment concepts used by laboratories, practitioners and regulators.

Abstract

This standard (ISO 11074:2025, 3rd edition) defines and clarifies terminology used in soil quality work. It consolidates and reorganizes terms from previous editions and amendments into a single, alphabetically ordered clause for easier lookup, and includes context labels where a term has domain-specific meanings (for example: sampling, remediation, assessment). The vocabulary supports consistent use of terms in soil investigation, monitoring, testing, risk assessment and remediation activities.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard).
• Publication date: March 2025 (Edition 3).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO), prepared by ISO/TC 190.
• ICS / categories: 01.040.13; 13.080.01 (soil science / soil quality and pedology).
• Edition / version: Edition 3 (2025).
• Number of pages: Approximately 63–74 pages (varies by language/format and national publication).

Scope

ISO 11074:2025 specifies terms and definitions used in the field of soil quality. It is intended to be used when preparing, reading or applying standards, guidance, reports and technical documents that deal with soil description, sampling, analysis, contamination, risk assessment, remediation and protection. The vocabulary is applicable across research, environmental assessment, regulatory and commercial contexts where consistent soil terminology is required.

Key topics and requirements

• Comprehensive, alphabetically ordered glossary of soil quality terms (Clause 3) covering physical, chemical and biological properties, processes and assessment concepts.
• Definitions relevant to sampling and sample management (sample types, sampling stages, quality control samples, analytical sample).
• Terms for contamination and remediation (background concentration, bioavailability, biodegradation, remediation types and treatment methods).
• Context differentiation: domain tags/notes to indicate when a term has different meanings in different applications (e.g., sampling vs. remediation).
• Informative material (e.g., relationship/flow between sampling operations) to aid interpretation and consistent application.
• Designed as a reference vocabulary (contains no normative test methods); intended to harmonize language across related standards and technical documents.

Typical use and users

Used by soil scientists, pedologists, environmental consultants, remediation contractors, analytical laboratories, regulators, researchers and standards developers. Typical applications include preparation of technical reports, laboratory reporting, design of sampling programmes, regulatory risk assessments, remediation planning and drafting or harmonizing other standards and guidance documents.

Related standards

Standards commonly used alongside ISO 11074 include soil sampling and investigation series (historically ISO 10381 parts and their successors in the ISO 18400 series), guidance on characterization and reuse of excavated soils (ISO 15176), standards for ecotoxicological testing (e.g., ISO 17616) and other ISO/TC 190 publications. National adoptions and EN versions (EN ISO 11074:2025) provide region-specific publications based on this vocabulary.

Keywords

soil quality, vocabulary, terminology, sampling, analytical sample, contamination, remediation, background concentration, bioavailability, biodegradation, bulk density, available water capacity, ISO/TC 190

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 11074:2025 is the third-edition international vocabulary standard for soil quality that defines terms and definitions used across soil-related investigation, testing, assessment and remediation.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers terms for soil description, physical/chemical/biological properties, sampling and sample types, contamination and remediation, and concepts used in assessment and protection of soil quality.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Soil scientists, environmental consultants, remediation practitioners, analytical laboratories, regulators, researchers and standards writers use it to ensure consistent terminology.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2025 edition (Edition 3) is the current published version; it supersedes ISO 11074:2015 and its 2020 amendment.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is a standalone vocabulary standard maintained by ISO/TC 190 and is intended to be used in conjunction with other soil quality standards (sampling, testing and assessment), including related ISO and EN standards.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: soil quality, vocabulary, sampling, contamination, remediation, analytical sample, bioavailability, background concentration, ISO 11074