What is BS EN 16319-Determination of cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel in fertilizers about?
BS EN 16319 is a European standard that covers technical specifications for the determination of cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel in fertilizers to prevent and limit heavy metals in agricultural applications.
BS EN 16319 specifies a method for determining the content of cadmium, chromium, nickel and lead in fertilizers and liming materials using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) after aqua regia dissolution.
In BS EN 16319, the limits of quantification are dependent on the sample matrix as well as on the instrument but can roughly be expected to be 0.3 mg/kg for Cd and 1 mg/kg for Cr, Ni and Pb.
Note1: Due to significant interference from Cu, Fe and Mn, no valid results can be reported using this method for fertilizer matrices containing high concentrations (≥ 10 %) of these micro-nutrients.
Note2: The term fertilizer is used throughout the body of this European Standard and needs to be taken to include liming materials unless otherwise indicated.
Who is BS EN 16319-Determination of cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel in fertilizers for?
BS EN 16319 on the determination of cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel in fertilizers applies to:
- Manufacturers of fertilizers and liming materials
- Dealers and importers of fertilizers and liming materials
- Testing labs for fertilizers and liming materials
- Safety assurance services
- Regulatory bodies
Why should you use BS EN 16319-Determination of cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel in fertilizers?
Chromium inhibits nutrient absorption in soil. Ingesting foods that have taken up cadmium from the soil can expose humans to the metal. Seed germination, root and shoot growth, biomass build-up, and final production are all affected by nickel. Lead inhibits photosynthesis, which also affects mineral nutrition and water balance.
BS EN 16319 provides users guidance on principle, reagents, apparatus, procedure, calculation, expression of results, precision and test report, enabling the assessment of heavy metals in fertilizers to ensure the safety and performance in agricultural applications.
BS EN 16319 provides users guidance on the inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) method to determine cadmium, chromium, nickel and lead in fertilizers and liming materials. BS EN 16319 also provides users with a step-by-step procedure for the method, enabling users to do the method correctly.
With compliance and obedience of BS EN 16319, users can determine heavy metals in fertilizers, allowing users to limit the presence of heavy metals that complies with required regulations.
