This International Standard specifies a static headspace method for quantitative gas chromatographic determination of volatile aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons and selected aliphatic ethers in soil. This International Standard is applicable to all types of soil. The limit of determination is dependent on the detection system used and the quality of the methanol grade used for the extraction of the soil sample. Under the conditions specified in this International Standard, the following limits of determinations apply (expressed on the basis of dry matter): a) when using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID), the typical limit of determination is 0,2 mg/kg for volatile aromatic hydrocarbons and 0,5 mg/kg for aliphatic ethers as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME); b) when using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD), the typical limit of determination is 0,01 mg/kg to 0,2 mg/kg for volatile halogenated hydrocarbons. NOTE Lower limits of determination can be achieved by using mass spectrometry (MS) with selected ion detection.