METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF WATER SOLUBLE ZINC AND IRON

CONTENTS IN FERTILIZER SAMPLES

1. PURPOSE:
Determination of Zinc (Zn) and Iron (Fe) in fertilizer samples.
2. EQUIPMENTS/APPARATUS:
Analytical balance
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
Volumetric flask
Funnel
Filter Paper (Whatman No.1)
Pipette
Glass beaker
3. REAGENTS/CHEMICALS:
Standard solutions of
Zinc (1000 mg Zn / L stock solution)
Iron (1000 mg Fe/ L stock solution)
4. METHOD:
Aqueous Extraction. Place 1.00g test portion into 100 mL glass beaker. Add 75mL D.I water
and boil 30 minutes. Filter in 1 Liter volumetric flask, washing filter with D.I water. Make the
volume upto the mark with D.I water. Redilute if necessary. Determine concentration of element
in solution (mg/L) from calibration curve or digital concentration readout following the standard
operating parameters.
Element
Wavelength nm
Flame
Range g/ml
Zinc
213.9
Air-C2H2
0.5-5
Iron
248.3
Air-C2H2
2-20
5. CALCULATIONS:
Micronutrient concentration= Reading x dilution factor.
6. PRECAUTIONS / SAFETY REQUIREMENTS:
a) Analyse Certified Reference Material, Zinc Sulphate or Iron sulphate as a standard.
b) Take ample quantity of sample (approximately 200g) for grinding. Care should be taken
that all the sample taken for grinding must pass through sieve to obtain homogeneous
sample.
c) Filter the sample in case of liquid sample. Use filtrate for further analysis.
d) Follow the operating parameters of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer mentioned in
instrument operating manual.

7. REFERENCE / RELATED DOCUMENTS:

a. Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC International, 18th Edition, 2005, Current
Through Revision, 4, 2011. Method No. 2.6.01 (AOAC Official Method 965.09),
Fertilizers Chapter 2, Subchapter 6, Page 29-30
b. Operating manual of instrument Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer