CEN/TC 343/WG 5 - Chemical Tests

This document specifies the determination of total content of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur in solid recovered fuels by instrumental method. Depending on the amount of test portion, micro or macro instrumental apparatus are used.
This method is applicable for concentrations on dry matter basis of C > 0,1 %, N > 0,1 %, H > 0,1 % and S > 0,05 %.

This European Standard specifies three methods of digestion for solid recovered fuels:
a)   microwave assisted digestion with hydrofluoric, nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture;
b)   hot water bath digestion of with hydrofluoric, nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture, after ashing of the SRFs sample;
c)   oven digestion with nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acid mixture.
Instrumental determination of Si, Al, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, P, and Ti is performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry with optical detection or other suitable spectroscopic techniques such as Flame Atomic Spectroscopy.
The effectiveness of the digestion can be verified by qualitative X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on the remaining residue. If necessary an alternative digestion method (among those proposed) shall be used.
XRF can be used for the analysis of Si, Al, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, P, Ti, after ashing (550 °C) of the sample: other elements can be analysed by XRF provided that the concentration levels are above the instrumental detection limits of the XRF instrumentation and after proper preliminary testing.
Method a) is recommended for general use, but the amount of the test portion can be very low in case of high concentration of organic matter. Method b) is recommended for SRFs with high organic matter concentration that can be difficult to digest with the other methods.
Method c) is recommended for SRFs samples for which the other methods leave a significant insoluble residue.
All the listed methods are suitable for the determination of Si, provided that closed containers are used for sample dissolution. XRF is highly recommended for Si, P and Ti analysis.
Alternative digestion methods can be applied if their performance is proved to be comparable with those of the methods mentioned in a) to c) (see Annex C).

This European Standard specifies three methods of digestion for solid recovered fuels:
a) microwave assisted digestion with hydrofluoric, nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture;
b) hot water bath digestion of with hydrofluoric, nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture, after ashing of the SRFs
sample;
c) oven digestion with nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acid mixture.
Instrumental determination of As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Tl, V, Zn is performed by
Inductively Coupled Plasma with optical or mass detection or graphite furnace Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry. Hg can be analysed only after the microwave assisted procedure or, alternatively, by a direct
analysis method (Hg direct  AMA).
The effectiveness of the digestion can be verified by qualitative X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on the
remaining residue. If necessary, an alternative digestion method (among those proposed) is used.
Method a) is recommended for general use, but the amount of the test portion can be very low in case of high
concentration of organic matter.
Method b) is recommended for Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) with high organic matter concentration that can
be difficult to digest with the other methods. This method is not suitable for mercury.
Method c) is recommended for Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) samples for which the other methods leave a
significant insoluble residue.
Alternative digestion methods can be applied if their performance is proved to be comparable with those of the
methods mentioned in a) to c) (see Annex C).

This European Standard specifies the determination of S, Cl, F and Br in solid recovered fuels of various origin and composition after combustion in oxygen atmosphere. This method is applicable for concentrations over 0,025 g/kg, depending on the element and on the determination technique. In the case of fluorine this method is applicable for concentration over 0,015 g/kg.
Insoluble halides and sulphate present in the original sample or produced during the combustion step are not completely determined by these methods.
This European Standard provides recommendations concerning standardised methods for determination of halides and sulphate in the solution obtained after combustion.

This Technical Specification specifies two different methods for the determination of metallic aluminium in solid recovered fuels:
-   method a: dissolution of metallic aluminium and analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) or by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS);
-   method b: Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) on the solid SRF.

This European Standard specifies the correct sequence of operations to ensure the representativity of the test
portions that have been taken according to the sampling plan, prior to physical and/or chemical analysis (e.g.
extractions, digestion and/or analytical determinations) of solid samples.
This European Standard specifies the correct sequence of operations and treatments to be applied to the
laboratory sample in order to obtain suitable test portions in compliance with the specific requirements defined
in the corresponding analytical procedures.

This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of total carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen contents in solid recovered fuels by instrumental techniques.
This method is applicable for concentrations on dry matter basis of C over 0,1 %, N over 0,01 % and H over 0,1 %.

This Technical Specification specifies the correct sequence of operations to ensure the representativity of the test portions that has been taken according to the sampling plan, prior to physical and/or chemical analysis (e.g. extractions, digestion and/or analytical determinations) of solid samples.
This Technical Specification specifies the correct sequence of operations and treatments to be applied to the laboratory sample in order to obtain suitable test portions in compliance with the specific requirements defined in the corresponding analytical procedures.

This Technical Specification specifies three methods of digestion for solid recovered fuels:
a)   microwave assisted digestion with hydrofluoric, nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture;
b)   hot water bath digestion of with hydrofluoric, nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture, after ashing of the SRFs sample;
c)   oven digestion with nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acid mixture.
Instrumental determination of As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Tl, V, Zn is performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma with optical or mass detection or graphite furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Hg can be analysed only after the microwave assisted procedure or, alternatively, by a direct analysis method.
The effectiveness of the digestion can be verified by qualitative X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on the remaining residue. If necessary an alternative digestion method (among those proposed) is used.
Method a) is recommended for general use, but the amount of the test portion can be very low in case of high concentration of organic matter.
Method b) is recommended for SRFs with high organic matter concentration that can be difficult to digest with the other methods. This method is not suitable for mercury.
Method c) is recommended for SRFs samples for which the other methods leave a significant insoluble residue.

This Technical Specification specifies three methods of digestion for solid recovered fuels:
a)   microwave assisted digestion with hydrofluoric, nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture;
b)   hot water bath digestion of with hydrofluoric, nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture, after ashing of the SRFs sample;
c)   oven digestion with nitric, perchloric and hydrofluoric acid mixture.
Instrumental determination of Si, Al, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, P, and Ti is performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry with optical detection or other suitable spectroscopic techniques such as Flame Atomic Spectroscopy.
The effectiveness of the digestion can be verified by qualitative X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on the remaining residue. If necessary an alternative digestion method (among those proposed) needs to be used.
XRF can be used for the analysis of Si, Al, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, P, Ti, after ashing (550 °C) of the sample: other elements can be analysed by XRF providing that the concentration levels are above the instrumental detection limits of the XRF instrumentation and after proper preliminary testing.
Method a) is recommended for general use, but the amount of the test portion can be very low in case of high concentration of organic matter. Method b) is recommended for SRFs with high organic matter concentration that can be difficult to digest with the other methods.
Method c) is recommended for SRFs samples for which the other methods leave a significant insoluble residue.
All the listed methods are suitable for the determination of Si, provided that closed containers are used for sample dissolution. XRF is highly recommended for Si, P and Ti analysis.

This Technical Specification describes the determination of S, Cl, F and Br in solid recovered fuels of various origin and composition after combustion in oxygen atmosphere. S and Cl can be alternatively determined by direct automatic analysis (see Bibliography for examples of available methods). Other methods could also be used provided that it is demonstrated that they give the same results.
This method is applicable for concentrations over 0,025 g/kg, depending on the element and on the determination technique.
Insoluble halides and sulphate present in the original sample or produced during the combustion step are not completely determined by these methods.
This Technical Specification provides recommendations concerning standardised methods for determination of halides and sulphate in the solution obtained after combustion.

This Technical Specification describes a method for the determination of total carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen contents in solid recovered fuels by instrumental techniques.
This method is applicable for concentrations on dry matter basis of C over 0,1 %, N over 0,01 % and H over 0,1 %.

This Technical Specification specifies two different methods for the determination of metallic aluminium in solid recovered fuels:
   method a: dissolution of metallic aluminium and analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) or by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS);
   method b: Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) on the solid SRF.