scope:

This part of ISO 10381 contains guidance on the sampling of soil gas. In addition to the main components (nitrogen, oxygen, carbondioxide) soil gas contains other permanent gases (not condensable under normal conditions) such as landfill gases (methane, carbonmonoxide, mercaptans, hydrogensulfide, ammonia etc.) and inert gases (helium, neon, argon, xenon, radon). It may also contain highly volatile organic compounds or inorganic vapors (mercury) which are of special interest within the framework of investigating soil and groundwater contamination. Due to the different physical properties and ranges of concentrations of these substances as well as the wide variety of objectives for soil gas sampling, this International Standard after the general clauses 1 to 4 is subdivided into two sections: i) permanent gases (main components and landfill gases) (clause 5) ii) volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (clause 6) Thus it is inevitable that some details repeated in both clauses in order to make the guidance comprehensive. This International Standard does not cover the measurement of gases from the soil entering into the atmosphere nor the sampling of atmospheric nor passive sampling procedures.