DIN EN 13805:2014-12

This document (EN 13805:2014) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 275 "Food analysis - Horizontal methods", the secretariat of which is held by DIN (Germany). The responsible German body involved in its preparation was the DIN Standards Committee Food and Agricultural Products, Working Committee NA 057-01-09 AA "Elemente und ihre Verbindungen" ("Elements and their chemical species"). This European Standard specifies a method for the pressure digestion of foodstuffs intended for the determination of elements. This method has been collaboratively tested in combination with atomic absorption (flame, electrothermal (ET), hydride, cold-vapour) techniques and ICP-MS. Other techniques such as, for example, ICP-OES, voltammetry or atomic fluorescence can be used in combination with this European Standard. The method is a physicochemical pressure digestion method used to mineralize the sample material and to prepare a measurement solution containing elements to be determined. The method described here is applied when the measurement has been validated in combination with this digestion method and reference is made to this European Standard. This procedure will relate to the total element content depending on reagents and determination procedures used. The sample is homogenized avoiding contamination. Afterwards it is digested with nitric acid (sometimes with addition of other acids), at high temperatures and pressure in a closed vessel, applying conventional or microwave-assisted heating.