GEOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS
APPENDIX C1
5.10.2015
1 (1)
Reg No E/336/251/2015
ELEMENTS TO BE DETERMINED FROM GEOCHEMICAL BASELINE SAMPLES AFTER
CONCENTRATED NITRIC ACID EXTRACTION
The following requirements are defined for humus, biogenic soil, sediment and mineral soil samples used for
geochemical baseline studies from non-contaminated soils. These samples will be air-dried (usually <40 oC), and
alternatively freeze-dried, and sieved to <2 mm size fraction before concentrated nitric acid extraction (comparable
to US EPA method 3051A, microwave assisted acid digestion). Table provides the list of elements detection limit
(attention, not theoretical detection limits for blank samples but practical detection limits as valid for the soil
samples and evaluated from the duplicates!) that should be reached.
Table 1. Minimum list of elements to be determined after concentrated nitric acid extraction with detection limits
(DL), desired DLs and fields to be filled in. Minimum criteria: at least 90 % of the concentrations of all the listed
elements will be determined with detection limit (or better). If the desired DL is defined, additional points will be given
for elements determined with the desired detection limit.
Element
Detection
limit
mg kg-1
Al
As
B
Ba
Be
Ca
Cd
Co
Cr
Cu
Fe
K
Mg
Mn
Na
Ni
P
Pb
S
Sb
Sr
Ti
V
Zn
15
10
5
1
0.5
50
0.5
1
1
1
50
100
15
1
50
5
50
5
30
20
1
2
1
1
Desired Can be DL of the Measurement
detection analysed laboratory (ICP-OES or
limit
(Y/N)
other)
-1
mg kg
5
1
10
10
10
5
5