prEN 17769

Organic and organo-mineral fertilizers - Determination of the mercury content

Publication date:   Jan 15, 2026

Scope

This document specifies a method for determination of the content of mercury (Hg) using (cold) vapour generation apparatus coupled to an atomic absorption spectrophotometer and a method using a direct amalgamation technique.
It is applicable to aqua regia digests prepared according to prEN 17768.
It is applicable to organic fertilizers and organo-mineral fertilizers.
This document is applicable to the fertilizing product blends where a blend is a mix of at least two of the following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants and where the following category: organic fertilizers or organo-mineral fertilizers is the highest % in the blend by mass or volume, or in case of liquid form by dry mass. If organic fertilizers and organo-mineral fertilizers are not the highest % in the blend, the European Standard for the highest % of the blend applies. In case a fertilizing product blend is composed of components in equal quantity, the user decides which standard to apply. Variations in analytical methods for fertilizing product blends can lead to differing results as some components or matrix interactions can affect the outcome. Validation procedures have shown that developed standard methods are robust and reliable across diverse product compositions, but possible interferences and unexpected results when analysing fertilizing product blends are possible.
NOTE It is also possible to use other suitable methods for the determination of mercury described in Annex A if users prove that the method gives the same results as the methods described in this document.

Related legislation

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