The Austrian soil sampling procedure tested in a field study (CEEM-project)

The Austrian soil sampling procedure requires sampling from representative, uniform areas. For chemical analyses a composite sampling procedure is proposed in which 15-25 single samples should be distributed evenly over the area. Sampling depth for top soils varies between 5 and 30 cm depending on land use. In a field experiment, the suitability and reliability of this sampling method for the determination of trace elements in soil was tested. A high degree of accordance with the results of the extensive and systematic CEEM-Reference Sampling Method was found; therefore the Austrian sampling procedure is recognized as a simple but valid method which can be also proposed as a basis for corresponding ISO- or CEN-Standards.