ISO 20280-2007 PDF

Full title and description

Soil quality — Determination of arsenic, antimony and selenium in aqua regia soil extracts with electrothermal or hydride‑generation atomic absorption spectrometry. This ISO standard specifies analytical procedures for measuring As, Sb and Se concentrations in soil extracts prepared by aqua regia digestion (reference to the extraction procedure specified in ISO 11466) using either electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) or hydride‑generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG‑AAS).

Abstract

ISO 20280:2007 defines sample preparation (aqua regia extract obtained in accordance with ISO 11466), instrumental techniques (electrothermal atomization or hydride‑generation AAS), calibration, quality‑control measures and calculation/reporting of results for the determination of arsenic, antimony and selenium in soils. The publication was released in August 2007 and was last reviewed and confirmed by ISO in 2021, so this edition remains the current version.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard; confirmed following ISO systematic review)
• Publication date: August 2007 (Edition 1: 2007-08)
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• ICS / categories: 13.080.10 (Chemical characteristics of soils)
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2007)
• Number of pages: 15

These publication details and life‑cycle status are taken from the ISO catalogue entry for ISO 20280:2007.

Scope

Specifies methods for the determination of arsenic, antimony and selenium in an aqua regia extract of soil obtained in accordance with ISO 11466. The standard covers the two instrumental approaches commonly used for these analytes in soil extracts: electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) and hydride‑generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG‑AAS). It describes required reagents, sample handling, calibration procedures, performance characteristics (limits of detection/quantification, precision), and required quality‑control checks to ensure reliable results. (See ISO 11466 for the prescribed aqua regia extraction procedure; note that ISO 11466 has its own revision/withdrawal history and should be checked for its current status where relevant.)

Key topics and requirements

• Preparation of soil extracts by aqua regia digestion (reference ISO 11466) and appropriate handling to avoid contamination or loss.
• Use of electrothermal atomization AAS (ETAAS) or hydride‑generation AAS (HG‑AAS) for determination of As, Sb and Se.
• Calibration strategies, including matrix matching or standard additions where matrix effects are significant.
• Performance characteristics: requirements for limits of detection, repeatability/precision and accuracy checks.
• Quality assurance and quality control: use of blanks, certified reference materials, spike‑recovery tests and routine instrument performance checks.
• Calculation and reporting: expression of results on a dry mass basis or other agreed basis, and reporting of uncertainty where applicable.

Typical use and users

Laboratories performing environmental and soil testing, regulatory agencies assessing contaminated land, consultants in environmental remediation, research institutions studying trace element mobility in soils, and industrial laboratories monitoring soil quality. Users apply the standard to generate comparable, traceable data for arsenic, antimony and selenium in soils for compliance, risk assessment and research.

Related standards

Closely related documents include ISO 11466 (aqua regia extraction of trace elements from soils — referenced by ISO 20280) and other ISO soil quality methods for metals by atomic spectrometric techniques (for example ISO 11047 for a range of other metals determined by flame and electrothermal AAS). Laboratories should also consider ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory competence and other ISO soil sampling standards (ISO 10381 series) for representative sampling. Users should verify the current status of referenced standards (ISO 11466 and others) before use.

Keywords

soil quality; arsenic; antimony; selenium; aqua regia extraction; ISO 20280; electrothermal AAS; hydride‑generation AAS; analytical method; environmental monitoring

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 20280:2007 is an international standard that specifies analytical methods for determining arsenic, antimony and selenium in soil extracts prepared by aqua regia, using electrothermal or hydride‑generation atomic absorption spectrometry.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers sample extract preparation (aqua regia extract obtained in accordance with ISO 11466), instrumental measurement procedures (ETAAS and HG‑AAS), calibration, performance characteristics, quality‑control requirements and reporting of results.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Environmental testing laboratories, contaminated‑land consultants, regulators, academic researchers and any organization requiring validated, comparable measurements of As, Sb and Se in soils.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: This edition (ISO 20280:2007, Edition 1) was published in August 2007 and was reviewed and confirmed in 2021, so it remains the current ISO edition as of its latest ISO review. Users should check ISO catalogue entries for any later revisions or withdrawal notices before relying on the method for regulatory compliance.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It forms part of the ISO soil‑quality series of standards (ISO/TC 190/SC 3), which includes methods for sampling, extraction/digestion and determination of various trace elements and contaminants in soils (for example ISO 11466, ISO 11047 and the ISO 10381 sampling series).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Arsenic, antimony, selenium, aqua regia, extraction, electrothermal AAS, hydride‑generation AAS, soil quality, analytical method.