IME RefeSol are soils recognized by the German Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt UBA) for application in test procedures according to the German Federal Soil Protection Act/Ordinance.
On behalf of the UBA the different soil types were selected and tested by the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME (Fraunhofer IME) in co-operation with the Department of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology, Hanover University.


Provider: Fraunhofer IME, Schmallenberg, Germany

Areas of application of RefeSol:

Essential areas of application are:

  • Physical/chemical analytical methods including method development and validation (substances occurring in soils), mobility and availability studies
  • Material changes (influence of soil properties on the interaction of substances with soil components) as well as testing the influence of substances on the habitat function of soils (bioavailability, effects on organisms).

The Soils are Suitable for:

  • Method development and validation, as they cover a wide spectrum of soil properties, in particular properties expected to cause problems during extraction, and clean up processes.
  • Determination of decomposition, sorption and mobility of substances in soils, e.g. GLP and accreditation studies, because the soils are sufficiently characterized and validated, and variability in soil properties is reflected.
  • Soil biological tests, because they are sufficiently characterized and validated and possess the properties required for these tests.
Explanation of the scientific structure of the system

Different types of soils are offered with different physical, chemical and biological properties.

Ordering of the soils is subject to the General Business Terms of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft