Environmental DNA from water gets its own sampling standard
ISO 17805:2026 sets a uniform procedure for sampling, capturing and preserving environmental DNA (eDNA) from water, together with quality assurance rules for that stage.
- eDNA analysis detects organisms from traces of genetic material left in water, without catching or examining the organisms themselves.
- Until now each laboratory settled sampling and preservation in its own procedure, so results from different labs were hard to compare.
- The standard covers the pre-analytical stage — volume and manner of sampling, filtration, storage and quality assurance — the part where most of the genetic material is lost.
- For water and environmental laboratories this is a new item that can be entered in the scope of accreditation as a separate accredited sampling activity.
Source: ISO 17805:2026 — Water quality: Sampling, capture and preservation of environmental DNA from water