Guidelines for sampling in Flanders (Belgium)

In Flanders, sampling guidelines for investigations on contamination of soi ls are in development. One detailed sampling guideline is currently availab le with respect to the prospective investigation in the frame of the decree related to soil sanitation. Four strategies for sampling may be followed a s a function of available information about pollution sources. Guidelines i ndicate what has to be sampled (top soil, deeper soil, soil water), how sam pling points must be determined, how the number of samples and analyses is determined and what parameters need to be analysed, The example given shows that sampling guidelines will strongly depend on the ultimate goal of a pa rticular sampling. A sampling procedure should be developed with close cons ideration of practical aspects and limitations, in order to be practical, r ealistic and cost-effective. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.