Application

Nitrate (direct measurement in the UV

range) as per APHA 4500-NO3- B
Method: Spectrophotometric, method for surface and
drinking water

Materials and reagents:
Cat.No. 100707 Spectroquant

UV/VIS Spectrophotometer Pharo 300

Cat.No. 100784 Rectangular cells quartz 10 mm
Cat.No. 100716 Hydrochloric acid 1 mol/l
Cat.No. 116754 Water for analysis (optional)
Membrane filter with 0.45 m pore diameter

Method:
Spectrophotometric measurement in the UV range at 220 nm and 275 nm

Measuring range:
0.0 7.0 mg/l NO
3
-N in the 10-mm quartz rectangular cell (method No. 2503)

Working instructions:
Sample preparation:
Filter turbid sample solutions over a membrane filter.
Add 1 ml of hydrochloric acid 1 mol/l to 50 ml of the filtrate and mix.

Zeroing the photometer:
When this method is used, the photometer must be zeroed each new working day. To do this call up the stored
method 2503 and fill the 10-mm quartz rectangular cell with distilled water or water for analysis.
Subsequently press the BLANK ZERO key of the photometer and select Zero photometer. Insert the cell into
the compartment to start the zeroing procedure.

Measurement procedure:
Select method 2503.
Fill the pretreated sample into a 10-mm quartz rectangular cell and insert the cell into the cell compartment to start
the automatic measurement procedure.
The nitrate content in mg/l NO
3
-N appears in the display.

Note:
During the measurement procedure, the system automatically tests for sample-dependent interferences (matrix
effects). Dissolved organic constituents in the sample, such as e.g. humic acids, may produce false results.
If the message Condition not fulfilled appears in the display, this indicates that a sample-dependent interference
is present. Evaluation is not possible in this case. The method is not suited for the analysis of samples of this type.









Merck KGaA, 64271 Darmstadt, Germany, Tel.
+49(0)6151 72-2440
EMD Millipore Corporation, 290 Concord Road,
Billerica, MA 01821, USA, +1-978-715-4321
2014-09-02 Page 1 of 2
Application

Results of the direct measurement of nitrate in the UV range:
Standard solutions prepared using Cat.No. 119811 Nitrate Standard Solution Certipur

Specified
[mg/l NO
3
-N]
Actual
[mg/l NO
3
-N]
0.7 0.7
1.4 1.5
2.1 2.2
2.8 3.0
3.5 3.7
4.2 4.4
4.9 5.1
5.6 5.8
6.3 6.4
7.0 7.0
Ordering Information
Product Catalog No.
UV-VIS Spectrophotometer Pharo 300 Spectroquant 100707
Rectangular cells quartz 10 mm Spectroquant 100784
Sulfuric acid 25% for analysis EMSURE 100716
Water for analysis EMSURE 116754
Merck KGaA, 64271 Darmstadt, Germany, Tel.
+49(0)6151 72-2440
EMD Millipore Corporation, 290 Concord Road,
Billerica, MA 01821, USA, +1-978-715-4321
2014-09-02 Page 2 of 2