FprEN 17701-3

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 17701-3:2023
01-maj-2023
Rastlinski biostimulanti - Določevanje specifičnih elementov - 3. del: Določevanje
živega srebra
Plant biostimulants - Determination of specific elements - Part 3: Determination of
mercury
Pflanzen-Biostimulanzien - Bestimmung spezifischer Elemente - Teil 3: Bestimmung von
Quecksilber
Biostimulants des végétaux - Détermination des éléments spécifiques - Partie 3 :
Détermination du mercure
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 17701-3
ICS:
65.080 Gnojila Fertilizers
oSIST prEN 17701-3:2023 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN 17701-3:2023
oSIST prEN 17701-3:2023
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 17701-3
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
March 2023
ICS 65.080 Will supersede CEN/TS 17701-3:2022
English Version
Plant biostimulants - Determination of specific elements -
Part 3: Determination of mercury
Biostimulants des végétaux - Détermination des Pflanzen-Biostimulanzien - Bestimmung spezifischer
éléments spécifiques - Partie 3 : Détermination du Elemente - Teil 3: Bestimmung von Quecksilber
mercure
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 455.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2023 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 17701-3:2023 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

oSIST prEN 17701-3:2023
prEN 17701-3:2023 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Principle . 5
4.1 Vapour generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (VG-AAS) . 5
4.2 Direct amalgamation (DA) . 5
5 Interferences . 6
5.1 Vapour generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (VG-AAS) . 6
5.2 Direct amalgamation (DA) . 6
6 Reagents . 6
7 Apparatus . 7
8 Procedure . 8
8.1 Preparation of the test and blank solutions . 8
8.2 Preparation of the calibration solutions . 8
8.3 Measurement . 8
8.3.1 Instrument conditions . 8
8.3.2 Matrix effects . 8
8.3.3 Spiking . 9
8.3.4 Measurement by VG-AAS . 9
8.3.5 Measurement by DA . 9
9 Calculation and expression of the results . 10
9.1 Content of mercury. 10
10 Test report . 10
Annex A (informative) Methods for mercury determination . 11
A.1 Cold vapour generation (hydride generation) . 11
A.2 Direct amalgamation technique . 12
A.3 Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) . 12
Annex B (informative) Results of the inter-laboratory study . 13
B.1 Inter-laboratory tests . 13
B.2 Statistical results . 13
Annex ZA (informative) Relationship of this European Standard and the essential
requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 making available on the market of EU
fertilising products aimed to be covered . 15
Bibliography . 16
oSIST prEN 17701-3:2023
prEN 17701-3:2023 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 17701-3:2023) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 455 “Plant
biostimulants”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede CEN/TS 17701-3:2022.
This document has been prepared under a Standardization Request given to CEN by the European
Commission and the European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EU
Directive(s) / Regulation(s).
For relationship with EU Directive(s) / Regulation(s), see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part
of this document.
EN 17701 series, Plant biostimulants — Determination of specific elements, consists of the following parts:
— Part 1: Digestion by aqua regia for subsequent determination of elements;
— Part 2: Determination of total content of Cd, Pb, Ni, As, Cr, Cu and Zn;
— Part 3: Determination of mercury.
oSIST prEN 17701-3:2023
prEN 17701-3:2023 (E)
Introduction
This document was prepared by the experts of CEN/TC 455 “Plant biostimulants”. The European
Committee for Standardization (CEN) was requested by the European Commission (EC) to draft
European standards or European standardization deliverables to support the implementation of
Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of 5 June 2019 laying down rules on the making available on the market of
EU fertilizing products (“FPR” or “Fertilising Products Regulation”).
This standardization request, presented as M/564 and M/564/Amd1, also contributes to the
Communication on “Innovating for Sustainable Growth: A Bio economy for Europe”. The Working Group
4 “Other safety parameters” was created to develop a work programme as part of this request. The
Technical Committee CEN/TC 455 “Plant biostimulants” was established to carry out the work
programme that will prepare a series of standards. The interest in biostimulants has increased
significantly in Europe as a valuable tool to use in agriculture. Standardization was identified as having
an important role in order to promote the use of biostimulants. The work of CEN/TC 455 seeks to improve
the reliability of the supply chain, thereby improving the confidence of farmers, industry, and consumers
in biostimulants, and will promote and support commercialisation of the European biostimulant
industry.
The preparation of this document is based on a standardization request to CEN by the European
Commission and the European Free Trade Association (Mandate M/564 and M/564/Amd1) concerning
the modernization of methods of analysis of fertilizers in the framework of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009
of the European Parliament and of the Council.
This document concerns the analytical measurement step for the determination of mercury in plant
biostimulants after digestion by aqua regia according to EN 17701-1:— . It covers cold vapour generation
followed by mercury determination using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Different cold
vapour generation techniques can be used (flow injection, segmented flow, batch). This document also
includes a method based on a direct amalgamation technique which is widely used in many analytical
laboratories. It is also possible to use other suitable methods of mercury determination described in
Annex A if users prove that the methods give the same results as the methods described in this document.
The inter-laboratory study reflects the final statistical characteristics of the method for the determination
of mercury in aqua regia digests including both, the digestion and the measurement steps.
WARNING — Persons using this document should be familiar with usual laboratory practice. This
document does not purport to address all of the safety issues, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user to establish appropriate health and safety practices and to ensure compliance
with any national regulatory conditions.
IMPORTANT — It is absolutely essential that tests conducted according to this document are carried out
by suitably trained staff.
oSIST prEN 17701-3:2023
prEN 17701-3:2023 (E)
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for determination of the content of mercury (Hg) in plant biostimulants
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 EN 17701-1:— .
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.
This document is also applicable to the blends of fertilizing products where plant biostimulants are the
main part of the blend. Otherwise, the method for the main part of the blend applies.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies
EN 17701-1:— , Plant biostimulants — Determination of specific elements — Part 1: Digestion by aqua
regia for subsequent determination of elements
EN 17701-2:— , Plant biostimulants — Determination of specific elements — Part 2: Determination of total
content of Cd, Pb, Ni, As, Cr, Cu and Zn
EN 17704:— , Plant biostimulants — Determination of dry matter
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 17701-2:— apply.
4 Principle
4.1 Vapour generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (VG-AAS)
Mono- and divalent mercury is reduced to the elemental form by tin(II) chloride or sodium borohydride
in an acid medium. Elemental mercury is stripped off from the solution and determined in the form of an
atomic gas by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.
4.2 Direct amalgamation (DA)
The sample is thermally decomposed in an oxygen rich environment. The decomposition products are
carried to an amalgamator that selectively traps mercury. After the system is flushed with oxygen to
remove any remaining gases or decomposition products, the amalgamator is rapidly heated, releasing
mercury vapour. Flowing oxygen carries t
...