oSIST prEN 13654-2:2025
(Main)Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of nitrogen - Part 2: Dumas method
Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of nitrogen - Part 2: Dumas method
This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of nitrogen in soil improvers and growing media. The dry combustion method was developed originally as a manual method by Dumas. Its application is improved greatly due to the use of modern automated equipment and is applicable to all forms of nitrogen.
NOTE The requirements of the standard may differ from the national legal requirements for the declaration of the products concerned.
Bodenverbesserungsmittel und Kultursubstrate - Bestimmung von Stickstoff - Teil 2: Verfahren nach Dumas
Dieses Dokument legt ein Verfahren zur Bestimmung von Stickstoff in Bodenverbesserungsmitteln und Kultursubstraten fest. Das Trockenverbrennungsverfahren wurde ursprünglich von Dumas[4] als manuelles Verfahren entwickelt. Die Anwendung dieses Verfahrens hat sich durch die Benutzung moderner automatischer Geräte wesentlich verbessert und ist für alle Formen von Stickstoff anwendbar.
Amendements du sol et supports de culture - Détermination de l'azote - Partie 2: Méthode de Dumas
Le présent document spécifie une méthode de détermination de l’azote présent dans les amendements du sol et les supports de culture. La méthode de combustion sèche a tout d’abord été élaborée comme une méthode manuelle par Dumas [4]. Son application a été considérablement améliorée grâce à l’utilisation d’un équipement automatisé moderne. Elle est applicable à toutes les formes d’azote.
Izboljševalci tal in rastni substrati - Določanje dušika - 2. del: Dumasova metoda
General Information
- Status
- Not Published
- Public Enquiry End Date
- 02-Jan-2026
- Technical Committee
- KAT - Soil quality
- Current Stage
- 4020 - Public enquire (PE) (Adopted Project)
- Start Date
- 30-Oct-2025
- Due Date
- 19-Mar-2026
Relations
- Effective Date
- 01-Dec-2025
Overview
prEN 13654-2:2025 (CEN) specifies the Dumas dry combustion method for the determination of total nitrogen in soil improvers and growing media. The method quantifies all forms of nitrogen by high‑temperature combustion (≥ 900 °C) in the presence of oxygen, with modern automated Dumas analysers measuring the nitrogen gas produced. This draft European Standard updates and supersedes EN 13654-2:2001 and aligns applicability with the EU Fertilising Product Regulation.
Note: the standard is a technical method for analysis; legal declaration requirements for products may differ between countries.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope: Applicable to all forms of nitrogen in soil improvers and growing media; suitable for solid and (with guidance) some liquid samples.
- Principle: Dry combustion at ≥ 900 °C; oxidation/volatilization of nitrogen compounds and detection of nitrogen gas.
- Apparatus & reagents:
- Automated Dumas apparatus with nitrogen detector.
- Analytical balance (accuracy to 1.0 mg).
- Calibration substances (e.g., acetanilide, L‑aspartic acid, certified amino acids).
- Reagents for gas reduction/absorption as per manufacturer instructions.
- Sampling & sample prep: Sampling follows EN 12579:2024; sample preparation per prEN 13040-1:2025 (drying, grinding, residual moisture determination). Special handling advised for high ammonium samples to avoid nitrogen loss on drying.
- Procedure & calibration: Calibrate instrument using certified reference substances. Weigh an appropriate aliquot, combust per manufacturer’s procedure, report primary result in mg N, then convert to dry matter basis using a correction factor derived from sample dry matter.
- Results & reporting: Express results on an oven‑dry mass/mass basis (whole figures or % with one decimal) and report three significant figures for dried samples.
- Validation & performance: Method validated via ISO 5725‑2 interlaboratory studies across nine matrices (e.g., composted bark, biowaste compost, solid/liquid digestate, peat blends) with published repeatability and reproducibility data (Annex A).
Applications and users
- Analytical laboratories performing nitrogen determination in growing media and soil improvers.
- Manufacturers and quality control teams in horticulture substrate and fertiliser production.
- Regulatory bodies and conformity assessment labs supporting compliance with the EU Fertilising Product Regulation (EU 2019/1009).
- Research institutes and agronomy labs assessing nutrient content of composts, digestates and growing media blends.
Related standards
- EN 12579:2024 - Sampling for soil improvers and growing media
- prEN 13040-1:2025 - Sample preparation and dry matter determination
- prEN 13651:2025 / prEN 13652:2025 - Nutrient extraction methods
- ISO 5725-2 - Validation (repeatability/reproducibility)
Keywords: Dumas method, nitrogen determination, soil improvers, growing media, dry combustion, prEN 13654-2, CEN, EU Fertiliser Product Regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
oSIST prEN 13654-2:2025 is a draft published by the Slovenian Institute for Standardization (SIST). Its full title is "Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of nitrogen - Part 2: Dumas method". This standard covers: This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of nitrogen in soil improvers and growing media. The dry combustion method was developed originally as a manual method by Dumas. Its application is improved greatly due to the use of modern automated equipment and is applicable to all forms of nitrogen. NOTE The requirements of the standard may differ from the national legal requirements for the declaration of the products concerned.
This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of nitrogen in soil improvers and growing media. The dry combustion method was developed originally as a manual method by Dumas. Its application is improved greatly due to the use of modern automated equipment and is applicable to all forms of nitrogen. NOTE The requirements of the standard may differ from the national legal requirements for the declaration of the products concerned.
oSIST prEN 13654-2:2025 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 65.080 - Fertilizers. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
oSIST prEN 13654-2:2025 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to SIST EN 13654-2:2002. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
oSIST prEN 13654-2:2025 is associated with the following European legislation: EU Directives/Regulations: 2019/1009; Standardization Mandates: M/564, M/564 AMD 1, M/564 AMD 2, M/XXX. When a standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Union, products manufactured in conformity with it benefit from a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the corresponding EU directive or regulation.
oSIST prEN 13654-2:2025 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2025
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 13654-2:2002
Izboljševalci tal in rastni substrati - Določanje dušika - 2. del: Dumasova metoda
Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of nitrogen - Part 2: Dumas method
Bodenverbesserungsmittel und Kultursubstrate - Bestimmung von Stickstoff - Teil 2:
Verfahren nach Dumas
Amendements du sol et supports de culture - Détermination de l'azote - Partie 2:
Méthode de Dumas
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 13654-2
ICS:
65.080 Gnojila Fertilizers
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
October 2025
ICS 65.080 Will supersede EN 13654-2:2001
English Version
Soil improvers and growing media - Determination of
nitrogen - Part 2: Dumas method
Amendements du sol et supports de culture - Bodenverbesserungsmittel und Kultursubstrate -
Détermination de l'azote - Partie 2: Méthode de Dumas Bestimmung von Stickstoff - Teil 2: Verfahren nach
Dumas
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 223.
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
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 13654-2:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
4 Principle . 4
5 Reagents . 4
6 Apparatus . 4
7 Sampling . 5
8 Test sample . 5
9 Procedure . 5
9.1 Safety . 5
9.2 Calibration of the apparatus . 5
9.3 Determination of the nitrogen content . 5
9.4 Residual moisture . 5
10 Calculation . 5
11 Expression of results . 6
12 Test Report . 6
13 Validation of the method . 6
13.1 Validation in accordance with ISO 5725-2. 6
13.2 Performance characteristics. 7
Annex A (informative) Performance characteristics of the method . 8
Bibliography . 10
European foreword
This document (prEN 13654-2:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 223 “Soil
improvers and growing media”, the secretariat of which is held by NEN.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 13654-2:2001.
EN 13654-2:2001:
— Adaptation of scope and applicability with respect to the EU – Fertilizer Product Regulation [5].
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the determination of nitrogen in soil improvers and growing media.
The dry combustion method was developed originally as a manual method by Dumas [4]. Its application
is improved greatly due to the use of modern automated equipment and is applicable to all forms of
nitrogen.
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.
CEN/TS 17732:2022, Soil improvers and growing media - Terminology
EN 12579:2024, Soil improvers and growing media - Sampling
prEN 13040-1:2025, Soil improvers and growing media — Sample preparation — Part 1: Sample
preparation for chemical and physical tests, determination of dry matter content, moisture content and
laboratory bulk density
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in CEN/TS 17732:2022 apply.
4 Principle
The nitrogen content of the sample is determined by heating to a temperature of at least 900 °C in the
presence of oxygen gas. Mineral and organic nitrogen compounds are oxidized and/or volatilized and
determined as described by the manufacturer.
5 Reagents
Use only reagents of recognized analytical grade.
5.1 For reduction, oxidation, removal and/or fixing of combustion gases that interfere with the
analysis, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5.2 Calibration substances, pure substances of known nitrogen content, for example acetani
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