Nitrogen ends up in the environment mainly through agricultural processes and thereby also ends up in water. The main source of nitrogen compounds in water are inorganic fertilizers that mainly contain nitrates, but also ammonia, ammonium, urea, and amines. After fertilization, crops take up a relatively small part of added nitrogen compounds. The residue ends up in groundwater and surface water through soil. From an analytical point of view, the properties of water, wastewater and sludge samples can vary considerably depending upon their source. In unpolluted waters, low nitrogen levels make it necessary to use large sample volumes, whereas high concentrations of surface-active agents in some waste waters can also cause foaming during the initial step of the digestion, so the volume required by the analysis is lower.
In this application note, learn about the benefits of the Kjeldahl method, which include:
- High level of precision and reproducibility
- Maximum productivity and full automation
- Reliable and easy
- Time-saving
- Moderate running costs