What is ISO 11916‑3 about?
ISO 11916‑3 is the third part of the multi-series on soil quality. ISO 11916‑3 specifies the measurement of explosives and related nitro compounds in soil and soil materials. ISO 11916‑3 is intended for the trace analysis of explosives and related compounds by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Generally, LCMS/MS measurement shows the lower limit of quantification (LOQ) for each compound, as opposed to using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection.
Under the conditions specified in ISO 11916‑3, concentrations as low as 0,005 mg/kg to 0,014 mg/kg of dry matter can be determined, depending on the substance. Similar compounds such as various nitroaromatics, by-products, and degradation products of explosive compounds can be analyzed using this method provided that the applicability is checked on a case-by-case basis.
Who is ISO 11916‑3 for?
ISO 11916‑3 on soil testing with LC-MS/MS is used by:
- Ecologists and conservationists
- Soil testing laboratories
- Land owners
Why should you use ISO 11916‑3?
Before taking a decision to use land for agriculture or similar purposes, it is important to test the soil quality. The LC-MS/MS method described in ISO 11916‑3 provides a 10-20 times or lower detection limit than that of the HPLC/UV method. ISO 11916‑3 provides methods using LC-MS/MS that can be used with some modifications for the determination of selected explosives and related compounds.
