🌿 Pretreatment of soil samples for physico-chemical analyses — sample description, drying of the whole sample in air (layer ≤ 15 mm, no direct sunlight), in a forced-ventilation oven at a temperature not exceeding 40 °C or by freeze-drying, until the loss in mass is not greater than 5 % (m/m) per day; removal and weighing of stones, glass and roots, crushing to particles ≤ 2 mm, sieving through a 2 mm sieve, subsampling of the < 2 mm fraction (quartering by hand, riffle divider, mechanical divider) to a laboratory sample of 200–300 g and a test sample, and for test portions below 2 g — milling until passing a 250 µm sieve; PN-ISO 11464:1999 (withdrawn 13.11.2025, no successor indicated)

Environment PN-ISO 11464

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. We read the text of the standard in the iTeh sample of ISO 11464:1994 (first edition of 01.10.1994, English text, scanned) — PN-ISO 11464:1999 adopts ISO 11464:1994 as identical (PKN record): foreword, clauses 1–6 with Figure 1 (flow diagram) and the beginning of Annex A (examples of apparatus with Figures A.1–A.2 and Table A.1) — the sample ends on page 7. We do not read the further figures of Annex A or the bibliography. The text in the sample is a scan; illegible fragments are omitted.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF ISO 11464:1994. The standard was prepared by ISO/TC 190 "Soil quality", Subcommittee SC 3 "Chemical methods and soil characteristics". Scope (1): pretreatment of soil samples intended for physico-chemical analyses — five types of pretreatment: drying, crushing, sieving, dividing and milling; the procedures are not applicable if they affect the results of the determinations — standards for analytical methods will generally state when other procedures are necessary. Reference (2): ISO 565 (test sieves). Principle (3): samples are dried in air, in an oven at a temperature not exceeding 40 °C, or freeze-dried; if necessary they are crushed while still damp and friable and again after drying; they are sieved, and the fraction below 2 mm is divided mechanically or by hand to allow representative subsampling; if small subsamples (< 2 g) are needed for analysis, the particle size of the < 2 mm fraction is further reduced; the procedure is shown in the flow diagram in Figure 1. Notes: oven drying at 40 °C is preferable because faster drying limits changes due to microbial activity; every type of pretreatment influences some soil properties; long storage (as received, air-dried, refrigerated or in the dark) may influence many parameters, especially the solubility of inorganic and organic fractions; samples from contaminated soils require special measures — avoid skin contact, provide ventilation and air removal during drying; samples may contain chemical contaminants, fungal spores or pathogens (e.g. leptospirosis); it is assumed that at least 500 g of fresh soil is available. Apparatus (4): the apparatus must not add or remove the substances under investigation (e.g. heavy metals); thermostatically controlled drying oven with forced ventilation, maintaining (40 ± 2) °C; freeze-drier (optional); crushers, mills, mortar and pestle, wooden or other soft-faced hammer; 2 mm plate sieve according to ISO 565; mechanical mixers; mechanical sieve shaker (optional); sample divider; mesh sieve of 250 µm or the size specified in the test method; balances (0.01 g and 1 g); note: the apparatus is not specified in detail — examples in Figures A.1–A.4; national specifications meeting the basic requirements may be used. Procedure (5): at several stages the analyst decides whether size fractions are combined or treated separately — depending on the soil and the objectives of the programme; the sample is rehomogenized after any separation, sieving, crushing or milling that may have resulted in segregation of particles; warning — special precautions with potentially hazardous soil: avoid skin contact and provide air discharge during drying; notes: avoid contamination via air and dust (from the laboratory atmosphere or between samples stored or processed close to one another); a separate room used only for soil pretreatment is recommended; a dust-like sample may lose part of its material, altering its properties. Sample description (5.1): description of the sample as received according to nationally or preferably internationally accepted terminology, with extraneous matter, vegetation remains and other relevant features. Drying (5.2): the whole sample is dried in air, in a ventilated oven from which moist air is removed, or in a freeze-drier, until the loss in mass is not greater than 5 % (m/m) per 24 h; larger clods (above 15 mm) are broken down during drying — in air lightly by hand with a wooden hammer or mortar, in an oven after temporarily removing the sample; this also makes it easier to separate particles above 2 mm; a freeze-dried sample rarely forms clods. In air (5.2.1): layer not thicker than 15 mm on a tray that does not absorb moisture from the soil and does not contaminate; no direct sunlight — it could create large temperature differences between the dried top layer and the still wet lower layers. In an oven (5.2.2): same tray and layer, temperature not higher than 40 °C. Freeze-drying (5.2.3): according to the manufacturer. Note 11: drying time depends on the material, layer thickness, initial moisture of the material and the air, and ventilation — in an oven normally not more than 24 h for sandy soils, more than 48 h for clay soils, and 72–96 h for soils with a large proportion of fresh organic matter (e.g. roots). Stones (5.3.1): before crushing, stones, glass and rubbish larger than 2 mm are removed (sieving and hand picking), minimizing adhering fine material; the total mass of the dried sample and the mass of material removed are recorded; note: for contaminated soil or waste the analyst may grind the whole sample, including e.g. pieces of slag, to pass 2 mm. Fraction < 2 mm (5.3.2): either the material below 2 mm is sieved out (recording the masses above and below 2 mm), the material above 2 mm crushed and the fractions recombined in a mixer, or the entire sample is crushed. Crushing (5.3.3): the dried soil is crushed to particles not larger than 2 mm so that original particles (concretions and conglomerates) are crushed as little as possible. Sieving (5.4): by hand or with a shaker; stones, fresh plant fragments and glass are removed from the residue on the sieve and weighed; clods left on the sieve are crushed separately and returned to the sample; material left on the sieve may be treated separately. Subsampling (5.5): when the sample cannot be stored or used completely — the dried, crushed and sieved sample (< 2 mm) is divided into representative portions of 200–300 g (laboratory sample) and further into test samples, avoiding dust; note: milling between subsampling stages may be needed; the procedures in 5.5.1 and 5.5.2 are suitable for subsamples of material below 2 mm of not less than 2 g. Quartering (5.5.1): mixing, spreading in a thin layer, dividing into four quadrants, combining two diagonally opposite portions and rejecting the others, repeating until the desired amount is obtained. Divider (5.5.2): a multiple-slot divider (Figure A.2) splits the sample into two equal parts; dimensions are chosen to suit the amount and particle size of the material (Table A.1: for maximum particle sizes of 40, 20, 10, 5 and 2 mm — 8, 10, 12, 12 and 12 slots, dimension A 50, 30, 15, 7 and 5 mm; other dimensions approximate). Mechanical divider (5.5.3): according to national standards and the manufacturer's instructions; the material is rehomogenized between stages. Milling (5.6): if the test portion is less than 2 g, the < 2 mm fraction must be further comminuted — a representative subsample is milled until it all passes a 250 µm sieve or another size specified in the method; for several analyses it is milled to the smallest size specified; notes: for some parameters based on chemical extraction milling is not permitted because it increases the specific surface and reactivity; the fraction above 2 mm may if required be milled and mixed with the fraction below 2 mm. Test report (6): reference to the standard; processes, procedures and apparatus used, including the drying temperature; complete identification and description of the sample with the presence (and if necessary relative masses) of stones, glass, detritus, odour and colour; details not specified in the standard and factors that may have affected the results.

STATUS (as of 03.10.2026). The PKN search engine (query "PN-ISO 11464", 03.10.2026) returns one result: PN-ISO 11464:1999 — Polish version, "Withdrawn", "Introduces: ISO 11464:1994 [IDT]". The record of the standard (read 03.10.2026): withdrawal date 13-11-2025, 18 pages, KT 191 "Soil Chemistry", erratum available; the publication date on the record is given as "19-03-2264" (an error in the record); the record does not indicate a replacing standard. We did not read the status of ISO 11464:1994 in the iTeh catalogue (since 03.10.2026 the catalogue pages require a browser with scripts). What the withdrawal changes for the result: the record indicates no successor, so there is no newer PN text to compare — both laboratories still cite the withdrawn edition.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, load up to 17.09.2026, read 03.10.2026). The number 11464 appears in 2 records at 2 laboratories: AB 300 and AB 418. In the current PCA documents (read 03.10.2026; AB 418 issue no. 37 of 26.01.2026, AB 300 issue no. 36 of 08.09.2026) the number appears at the same 2 laboratories; in each document the number of page markers equals the number of PDF pages, without duplicates; searching all PCA documents downloaded from the BIP on 03.10.2026 found no laboratories outside the database copy. Form at both: "PN-ISO 11464:1999" together with "PN-ISO 11465:1999". None of these items is suspended. The "Laboratories" tab (query "PN-ISO 11464") shows both laboratories — checked by a tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 03.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (PCA items and database copy). AB 418: soil, ground — dry matter (10–100) % and water content (calculated), gravimetric method. AB 300: soil — dry matter (dry residue) (30.0–99.9) % and water content (calculated), gravimetric method. In both items PN-ISO 11464 stands as the sample pretreatment standard for the determination according to PN-ISO 11465, which has a separate entry in the Knowledge Base.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. Temperature: oven drying at not more than 40 °C (3, 5.2.2), and every pretreatment influences some soil properties (3, note 2); the drying temperature is stated in the report (6). End of drying: loss in mass not greater than 5 % (m/m) per 24 h (5.2); clay soils and soils rich in organic matter dry much longer than sandy ones (note 11). Sunlight: air drying without direct sunlight (5.2.1). Fraction > 2 mm: stones, glass and roots are removed and weighed, and the masses of the whole dried sample and of the material removed are recorded (5.3.1, 5.4). Crushing: original particles, e.g. concretions, are not crushed (5.3.3). Milling: necessary for test portions below 2 g, but not permitted for some chemical extractions (5.6). Homogenization: after every sieving, crushing and milling that may have segregated particles (5). Contamination: the apparatus must not add or remove the substances under investigation, e.g. heavy metals; a separate room is recommended (4, 5, note 8). Storage: long storage changes, among others, the solubility of inorganic and organic fractions (3, note 3). Status: both laboratories cite a standard withdrawn on 13.11.2025.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We do not reproduce the figures of example apparatus other than Table A.1 or the bibliography. We do not summarize PN-ISO 11465, ISO 565 or analytical method standards in this entry.

Method principle

The whole soil sample is dried — in air, in an oven at not more than 40 °C or by freeze-drying — until it stops losing mass (≤ 5 % per day). Stones, glass and roots larger than 2 mm are removed from the dried soil and weighed, clods are crushed without crushing original particles, and the soil is sieved through a 2 mm sieve. The fraction below 2 mm is divided by quartering or a divider into representative samples, and when the test portion is less than 2 g it is milled until it passes a 250 µm sieve.

Applications

• Soils intended for physico-chemical analyses — drying, crushing, sieving, dividing, milling (1)
• Contaminated soils and waste — with the option of grinding the whole sample to pass 2 mm (5.3.1, note 12)
• Soil and ground — dry matter and water content (together with PN-ISO 11465) — 2 accreditation scope records of 2 laboratories in PCA

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-ISO 11464:1999

Title (PL)

Jakość gleby — Wstępne przygotowanie próbek do badań fizyczno-chemicznych

Title (EN)

Soil quality — Pretreatment of samples for physico-chemical analyses

Step-by-step procedure

1. Sample description

   As received, extraneous matter, vegetation remains, relevant features (5.1). PN-ISO 11464:1999 — withdrawn 13.11.2025, no successor indicated (PKN record).

2. Drying

   Air, oven ≤ 40 °C or freeze-drying until loss ≤ 5 % per 24 h; breaking clods > 15 mm (5.2).

3. Removal and crushing

   Stones, glass > 2 mm removed and weighed; crushing to ≤ 2 mm (5.3).

4. Sieving

   2 mm sieve; clods crushed separately and returned (5.4).

5. Subsampling and milling

   Quartering or divider to 200–300 g and test samples; milling to 250 µm for portions < 2 g (5.5, 5.6).

6. Report

   Procedures and apparatus, drying temperature, description of the sample with stones, glass, odour and colour (6).

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Samples from potentially hazardous soils: avoid skin contact, provide ventilation and air discharge during drying (5, warning; 3, note 4)
• Samples may contain chemical contaminants, fungal spores or pathogens, e.g. leptospirosis (3, note 4)

Frequently asked questions