Soil quality - Effects of pollutants on insect larvae (Oxythyrea funesta) - Determination of acute toxicity

ISO 20963:2005 describes a method for the determination of the effects of contaminated soils and substances on the survival of the larvae of Oxythyrea funesta. The larvae are exposed to the pollutants by cuticular and alimentary uptake. For contaminated soils, the effects on the survival are determined in the test soil and in a control soil. Depending on the objectives of the study, the control and dilution substrates (dilution series of contaminated soil) are either uncontaminated soil comparable to the soil sample to be tested or artificial soil substrate. Effects of substances are assessed using a defined artificial soil substrate. ISO 20963:2005 is not applicable to volatile substances, i.e. substances for which Henry's constant or the air/water partition coefficient is greater than 1, or for which the vapour pressure exceeds 0,001 33 Pa at 25 øC. This method does not take into account the possible degradation of the substances or pollutants during the test.