CEN/TC 260/WG 2 - Physical properties of fertilizers

There are, at present, four standard methods (EN 12048, EN 12049, EN 13466-1 and EN 13466-2) available for the determination of the water content in fertilizers and liming materials. This European Standard specifies general requirements and further guidance and recommendations on the choice for the appropriate method for the determination of the water content, considering the form under which it is present in a specific fertilizer type, and on the correct interpretation of the results.

Provision of meaningful interpretation of the results of sieve analysis of solid fertilizers.

This European Standard specifies a Karl Fischer titrimetric method for the determination of the water content of fertilizers based on the use of methanol as extracting medium.
The method is applicable to all solid mineral fertilizers. The result (KFM water) includes "free" water and extracted water of crystallization from the following components of fertilizers: calcium nitrate tetrahydrate (Ca(NO3)2·4H2O); calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate (CaHPO4·2H2O); calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum, CaSO4·2H2O), calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CaSO4·0,5H2O); magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (MgSO4·7H2O) ; potassium chloride magnesium sulfate water (1/1/2,75, Kainite, KCl·MgSO4·2,75H2O); potassium magnesium sulfate hexahydrate (Schoenite, K2SO4·MgSO4·6H2O); potassium magnesium sulfate tetrahydrate (Leonite, K2SO4·MgSO4·4H2O); potassium sulfate calcium sulfate monohydrate (Syngenite, K2SO4·CaSO4·H2O); potassium chloride magnesium chloride hexahydrate (Carnallite, KCl·MgCl2·6H2O); magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (Mg(NO3)2·6H2O).
Metal oxides and hydroxides soluble in methanol and pyridine will have an effect which can be corrected for, if their content is known.

This European standard specifies a Karl Fischer titrimetric method for the determination of the water content of fertilizers based on the use of 2-propanol as extracting medium.
The method is applicable to all solid mineral fertilizers. The result (KFP water) includes "free" water and extracted water of crystallization from the following components of fertilizers: calcium nitrate tetrahydrate (Ca(NO3)2·4H2O); magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (MgSO4·7H2O); potassium chloride magnesium chloride hexahydrate (Carnallite, KCl·MgCl2·6H2O); magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (Mg(NO3)2·6H2O).

This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of the flow rate of free flowing solid fertilizers. The method is not applicable to powder materials (< 0,5 mm) or liming materials.

The method is applicable to fertilizers, dry only, which contain a large proportion of particles of diameters less than 0,5 mm. Its principle is pouring the fertilizer from a specified filling device into a specified measuring cylinder of known volume and weighing the contents of the cylinder. If the fertilizer has absorbed moisture during transport or storage, it is necessary to dry it in an environmental chamber.

Specifies a procedure for preliminary examination of a single sample as received and a procedure for preparing a test sample by blending and reduction of a series of samples representative of a consignment of fluid fertilizer.

Describes a procedure for the de-aeration of suspension samples for physical testing. It is not suitable if the sample contains more than a trace of free ammonia, or if the sample is too viscous.

Preparation of a European Standard test method for the determination of fuel-oil retention of straight ammonium nitrate fertilizers having a content of ammonium nitrate of more than 80u before or after thermal pre-treatment.

When handling fertiliser grains, dust is at every moment generated on the surface. The fertiliser thus contains more or less free dust, and has a potential for generating more dust (abrasion dust) when subject to subsequent handling. In all existing gravitational test methods dust will be generated during the testing time, and the two types of dust will be measured simultaneously.

In some cases visual inspection may identify blended materials, but there are fertilizers on the market for which the type can be decided only by an analytical investigation of the distribution of some property (e.g. nutrient content) within the product. Methods to measure the distribution of a property within a bulk belong to the category "homogeneity test" in a broad sense.

This European Standard describes and/or specifies sampling plans, methods of sampling, methods for the reduction and division of samples, and establishes the requirements for sampling reports. This European Standard is applicable to deliveries of fertilizer or liming material supplied to third parties for resale under their own responsibility in smaller lots each of which would be subject to local, national or regional legislation.