ISO/TS 21268-3:2007 specifies a test, which is aimed at determining the leaching behaviour of inorganic and organic constituents from a soil and soil material. The method is a once-through percolation test with water (0,001 mol/l CaCl₂) under standardized conditions of flow rate. The material is leached under dynamic hydraulic conditions. The eluates obtained can be used to determine the ecological properties of the soil with respect to micro-organisms, flora and fauna. The test results enable the distinction between different release patterns, for instance wash-out and release under the influence of interaction with the matrix, when approaching local equilibrium between material and leachant.

This test method produces eluates, which can subsequently be characterised by physical, chemical and ecotoxicological methods in accordance with existing standard methods. The results of eluate analysis are presented as a function of the liquid/solid ratio. The test is not suitable for species that are volatile under ambient conditions.

The application of this test method alone is not sufficient for the determination of the leaching behaviour of a material under specified conditions different to those from the test procedure, since this generally requires the application of several test methods, behavioural modelling and model validation. ISO/TS 21268-3:2007 does not address issues related to health and safety. It only determines the leaching properties as outlined in Clause 4.