Elemental Analysis of Plant Tissue by Plasma Emission Spectroscopy: Collaborative Study

Abstract

Fourteen laboratories participated in a collaborative study of 6 homogeneous plant tissue samples to determine the elements P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Al, B, Cu, Zn, and Na by plasma emission spectroscopy. Samples were dry ashed using AOAC method 3.007(a) (13th Ed.). An NBS citrus leaf standard was prepared and a portion of the resulting solution was sent to each collaborator to evaluate sample preparation errors independent of instrument error. Coefficients of variation were better than those obtained in an earlier collaborative study on multielement analysis by spark emission spectroscopy. The plasma emission method has been adopted official first action for determination of P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, B, Cu, and Zn in plant tissues.