 Element
content varies significantly among the different plant organs—leaves, petioles,
grains, stems, and roots—and according to the age of the tissue, for example, young
or old leaves.
To analyze the elements present in a plant tissue, organic matter must be destroyed by
either acid digestion or dry combustion.
Plant Analysis Methods
| Organic Matter destruction |
Parameter |
Analytical technique |
| Nitric-percloric (2:1) digestion (Benton and Jones, 1989) |
Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe K and Na
Al, Mo
S |
Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Atomic emission
spectrometry
Graphite furnace spectrometry
Turbidimetry (Wall et al., 1980) |
| Kjeldahl acid digestion |
N and P |
Molecular spectrometry
(Autoanalyser) |
| Dry combustion |
C, H, N |
CHN Analyser |
| Calcination at 500 ºC |
B Cr |
Molecular spectrometry (Manual) Atomic absorption
spectrometry |
|
