Certification of soil-pH (suspensions of water and CaCl2) and asorption coefficients for atrazine, 2, 4-D and lindane in six different reference soils (EUROSOILS) : IRMM-443

The Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements has characterised and certified a set of six European reference soils, the so-called EUROSOILS - under the number IRMM-443. This unique set reference soils has been originally designed by the former JRC Environment Institute (now Institute for Environment and Sustainability - IES). After a successful validation and trial period it was decided to transfer the project to IRMM in order to produce a new type of certified reference materials. This report describes the certification of pH in suspensions of pure water and 0.01 M CaCl2 as well as of the adsorption coefficients for atrazine, 2,4-D and lindane in these soils. Additionally, indicative values for the pedological parameters Ctot, Corg and Ntot are given. The adsorption coefficients were obtained according to the prescriptions made in the OECD Testguideline 106 whereas for the pedological parameters the respective ISO Standards were followed. The reference materials are intended to control and optimise the performance of adsorption testing, as well as to improve the measurement quality and comparability of pedological parameter measurements, especially in relations to the respective European legislation.