AllGenetics, to host the intermediate meeting of ISO Technical Subcommitee regulating the identification of ecotoxicological test species by DNA barcoding

The meeting will take place in A Coruña on March 21st – 22nd 2018.

AllGenetics is proud to announce the following meetings of the ISO Technical Committee 190 in its headquarters at the Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas, in A Coruña, this week:

  • ISO Technical Committee 190 (Soil quality) / Subcommitee 4 / Working Group 2 (Effects on soil fauna).
  • ISO Technical Committee 190 (Soil quality) / Subcommitee 4 / Working Group 4 (Effects on soil micro-organisms).
  • ISO Technical Committee 190 (Soil quality) / Subcommitee 4 / Working Group 5 (Ecotoxicological aspects).

We are expecting delegates from France, Germany, and Czech Republic during the 2-day meeting scheduled on March 21st and 22nd. AllGenetics will be representing the Asociación Española de Normalización (UNE).

Among other issues, delegates will discuss the results of the ballot of the latest version of document ISO/DIS 21286 (Soil quality — Identification of ecotoxicological test species by DNA barcoding). Due to our expertise in the verification of ecotoxicological test species, AllGenetics has been leading the drafting of the document Identification of ecotoxicological test species by DNA barcoding since 2015. The goal of this Draft International Standard (DIS) is to detail a standardised protocol for identifying ecotoxicological test specimens to the species level using DNA barcoding. Implementing DNA barcoding-based identifications in ecotoxicology will help overcome potential misidentifications and/or the use of different cryptic species which may differ in their response to chemicals. Therefore, the ecotoxicological results obtained by different laboratories will be far more reliable and comparable.

One year ago, in Aveiro, members of Working Group 2 discussed the results of the first Commitee Draft ballot and agreed on required amendments to move ISO/CD 21286 on to the next ISO stage (ISO/DIS 21286). In A Coruña, delegates will discuss the necessary changes to eventually register the document as a Final Draft International Standard (FDIS).