FprEN 13039

Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of organic matter content and ash

Publication date:   Oct 2, 2025

Scope

This document specifies a routine method for determining the organic matter and the ash content of soil improvers and growing media.
NOTE 1 The loss on ignition (LOI) is often used as an estimate for the content of organic matter in the sample. Inorganic substances or decomposition products (e.g. H2O, CO2, SO2, O2) are released or absorbed and some inorganic substances are volatile under the reaction conditions. Thus, a conversion to the organic carbon content is not possible.
NOTE 2 This method has been validated in an interlaboratory study with specific products that were present on the market during the study (as included in Annex A, being bark (Pinus pinaster, 20 mm to 40 mm fraction), green compost (Rottegrad 5,0 mm to 15 mm), liquid digestate, mineral wool, soil improver (pellets, sieved 4 mm) and growing media blend (white peat, black peat, expanded perlite, lime, organic fertilizer)).

Related legislation

Legislation related to this standard