Overview

In addition to nutrients and organic matter, heavy metals and organic pollutants can be introduced into the soil during fertilization and lime application. In order to keep these risks to health and the environment as low as possible, the heavy metal content of fertilizers and lime fertilizers is subject to regular official controls. Comparable controls are based on validated analytical methods. With the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No. 463/2013, quality standards also apply to lime products that are marketed in Europe as EC fertilizers. This resulted in the need to extend the existing standards for the determination of heavy metals in mineral fertilizers to lime fertilizers. The scope of the European standard EN 16317:2013 for the determination of arsenic has been extended to include lime fertilizers. The analytical method specified in the European standard for the determination of arsenic using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) after aqua regia digestion has been successfully validated on three different lime fertilizer matrices. This consolidated version incorporates the changes adopted in a draft amendment concerning the title, scope, precision clause and Annex A (Statistical data for lime fertilizers). The European Standard has been prepared in CEN/TC 260 "Fertilizers and lime fertilizers" (secretariat: DIN, Germany) under German project and interlaboratory test management. National mirroring took place at Working Committee NA 057-03-02 AA "Düngemittel" ("Fertilizers") at DIN Standards Committee Food and Agricultural Products (NAL).

Responsible national committee

NA 057-03-02 AA - Fertilizers  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 260/WG 3 - Liming materials