ASTM D3590-02

Standard Test Methods for Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen in Water

SCOPE
1.1 These test methods cover the determination of total Kjeldahl nitrogen. The following test methods are included: SectionsTest Method A—Manual Digestion/Distillation8 to 14Test Method B—Semiautomated Colorimetric Bertholt15 to 23
1.2 The analyst should be aware that precision and bias statements included may not necessarily apply to the water being tested.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Feb-2002
• ICS: 13.060.50 - Examination of water for chemical substances
• Technical Committee: D19 - Water
• Drafting Committee: D19.05 - Inorganic Constituents in Water

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D3590-89(1994)e1 - Standard Test Methods for Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen in Water
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Replaced By: ASTM D3590-02(2006) - Standard Test Methods for Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen in Water
• Effective Date: 15-Dec-2006
• Referred By: ASTM D5338-15(2021) - Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under Controlled Composting Conditions, Incorporating Thermophilic Temperatures
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D6696-16 - Standard Guide for Understanding Cyanide Species
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D3694-96(2017) - Standard Practices for Preparation of Sample Containers and for Preservation of Organic Constituents
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D5526-18 - Standard Test Method for Determining Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under Accelerated Landfill Conditions
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D7294-13(2021) - Standard Guide for Collecting Treatment Process Design Data at a Contaminated Site—A Site Contaminated with Chemicals of Interest
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D5975-17 - Standard Test Method for Determining the Stability of Compost by Measuring Oxygen Consumption
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D6146-97(2018) - Standard Guide for Monitoring Aqueous Nutrients in Watersheds
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D5511-18 - Standard Test Method for Determining Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under High-Solids Anaerobic-Digestion Conditions
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D7475-20 - Standard Test Method for Determining the Aerobic Degradation and Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials under Accelerated Bioreactor Landfill Conditions
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002
• Referred By: ASTM D8083-16(2023) - Standard Test Method for Total Nitrogen, and Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) by Calculation, in Water by High Temperature Catalytic Combustion and Chemiluminescence Detection
• Effective Date: 10-Feb-2002

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:D 3590–02
Standard Test Methods for
1
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen in Water
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 3590; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope * 4. Significance and Use
1.1 These test methods cover the determination of total 4.1 These test methods are useful for measuring organic
Kjeldahl nitrogen. The following test methods are included: nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen, which are essential growth
nutrients.
Sections
Test MethodA—Manual Digestion/Distillation 8 to 14
4.2 Nitrogen compounds are widely distributed in the envi-
Test Method B—Semiautomated Colorimetric Bertholt 15 to 23
ronment. Sources of nitrogen include surface-applied fertiliz-
1.2 The analyst should be aware that precision and bias
ers, cleaning products, and drinking water treatment aids.
statements included may not necessarily apply to the water
Because nitrogen is a nutrient for photosynthetic organisms, it
being tested. may be important to monitor and control discharge into the
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
environment.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
5. Interferences
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 5.1 Nitrateisknowntocauseaseriousnegativeinterference
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. in the test. Reportedly, a concentration of 250 mg/L NO
3
results in zero recovery of some level of N added as some N
2. Referenced Documents
compound.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
5.2 The analyst is cautioned that ammonia in the laboratory
2
D 1129 Terminology Relating to Water may easily become an interference in these test methods from
2
D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water
contamination of reagents, caps, or from the laboratory atmo-
2
D 1426 Test Methods for Ammonia Nitrogen in Water sphere.Careshouldbetakenthatammoniumhydroxide,either
D 2777 Practice for Determination of Precision and Bias of
as a reagent or as a cleaning substance, is not used in the same
2
Applicable Methods of Committee D19 on Water room.
D 3370 Practices for Sampling Water from Closed Con-
2
6. Purity of Reagents
duits
2
D 5810 Guide for Spiking into Aqueous Samples 6.1 Reagent-grade chemicals shall be used in all tests.
D 5847 Practice for the Writing Quality Control Specifica-
Unlessotherwiseindicated,itisintendedthatallreagentsshall
3
tions for Standard Test Methods for Water Analysis conform to the specifications of the Committee on Analytical
Reagents of the American Chemical Society, where such
3. Terminology 4
specifications are available. Other grades may be used,
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in these test provided it is first ascertained that the reagent is of sufficient
methods, refer to Terminology D1129.
high purity to permit its use without lessening the accuracy of
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard: the determination.
3.2.1 total Kjeldahl nitrogen—the sum of the nitrogen
6.2 Purity of Water—Unless otherwise indicated, reference
contained in the free ammonia and other nitrogen compounds towatershallbeunderstoodtomeanreagentwaterconforming
which are converted to ammonium sulfate [(NH ) SO ] under
toSpecificationD1193,TypeI.Otherreagentwatertypesmay
4 2 4
the specified digestion conditions. be used provided it is first ascertained that the water is of
sufficiently high purity to permit its use without adversely
affecting the precision and bias of the test method. Type III
1
These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D19 on
Water and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D19.05 on Inorganic
4
Reagent Chemicals, American Chemical Society Specifications, American
Constituents in Water.
Chemical Society, Washington, DC. For suggestions on the testing of reagents not
Current edition approved Feb. 10, 2002. Published May 2002. Originally
listed by the American Chemical Society, see Analar Standards for Laboratory
e1
published as D3590–77. Last previous edition D3590–89 (1994) .
Chemicals, BDH Ltd., Poole, Dorset, U.K., and the United States Pharmacopeia
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01.
and National Formulary, U.S. Pharmaceutical Convention, Inc. (USPC), Rockville,
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.02.
MD.
*ASummary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
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