Environmental Nutrient Testing
In recent years, environmental protection agencies worldwide have identified nutrients as a significant problem causing serious water pollution. Just as fertilizers applied to gardens and farm fields help crops grow, nutrients entering lakes and rivers feed the growth of algae, bacteria and other micro organisms. Water bodies need some nutrients to be healthy, but too much can be harmful. When water bodies contain excess nutrients, the death and decomposition of algal blooms can reduce dissolved oxygen, suffocating fish and other aquatic organisms. In addition, some forms of algae may be able to produce toxins that may be harmful if ingested by humans and animals. Therefore, testing for these nutrients, such as nitrate, nitrite and phosphate, is extremely important.
BOC Sciences offers comprehensive environmental nutrient testing for agricultural and environmental applications at competitive prices. The level of nutrient overload in different types of environmental samples is assessed through routine analysis of phosphorus and nitrogen in agricultural soils, plants and soil additives.
Nutrient in the Environment
The overuse of fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the environment have the potential to cause harm if ingested by humans and animals. Although these nutrients are essential for the survival of living organisms, it is important to test the nutrients to ensure that their levels remain safe.
- Nitrogen
Nitrogen can come from both organic and inorganic sources. Organic sources of nitrogen include animal wastes and organisms, while nitrate is the most common form of inorganic nitrogen, and it is critical to test water to determine nitrate levels. High levels can cause congenital disabilities and be toxic to livestock.
- Phosphorus
Runoff, construction activities, damage to vegetation, fertilizers, and poorly functioning septic tanks can all affect the level of phosphorus in the environment. Adding small amounts of phosphorus can cause excessive plant growth, which can deplete oxygen and affect fish and macroinvertebrates.
Our Services
Our services help identify and quantify environmental limiting factors, and we are able to test for a range of nutrients in the environment, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfate. Our state-of-the-art laboratories use ion chromatography, automated colorimetric methods and Kjeldahl nitrogen determination to provide fast and accurate results for nutrient testing.
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) Determination
Kjeldahl nitrogen is widely used for the quantitative determination of ammonia and organic bound nitrogen such as ammonia and ammonium (NH3 /NH4+) in various samples such as wastewater, soil and other substances. At BOC Sciences, combined with our expertise in wet chemical analysis such as colorimetric, titrimetric and potentiometric methods, our chemists use sulfuric acid and digestion catalysts to wet oxidize organic nitrogen to the ammonium form in the soil organic matter and plant material. In addition, we can determine TKN in water and wastewater with simultaneous determination of the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ).
Total Nitrogen (TN) Determination
BOC Sciences has established a wet chemical analysis method for measuring total nitrogen in water and soil using alkaline persulfate digestion combined with a Nitrate Reductase assay. Our enzyme-based nitrate assay is safe, accurate, sensitive, selective, and environmentally sound. Nitrate can be measured quantitatively in any water sample, including complex matrices, soils, and plant extracts. Here is our analysis process:
- Firstly, nitrate in the sample is enzymatically reduced to nitrite using nitrate reductase
- The nitrite and the reduced nitrate in the sample are diazonized with sulfonamide and then coupled with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride under acidic conditions to form a highly colored azo dye
- Colorimetric determination in which the absorbance of color at 546 nm is proportional to the concentration of the nitrite and the reduced nitrate in the sample
- Subtract the value of nitrite from the combined nitrate-nitrite value to measure nitrate separately if needed
Phosphorus Assay
Phosphorus is often considered a 'limiting nutrient' in aquatic ecosystems, and excess phosphorus can lead to water quality problems such as eutrophication and harmful algal growth. Concerns about the relationship between phosphorus in soils and degradation of surface water quality has created a demand for soil testing laboratories to expand beyond their traditional scope and begin offering 'environmental phosphorus testings' that measure other soils and water sources of phosphorus. We mainly use colorimetric methods for quick and simple measurement of phosphorus in a wide range of matrix.
Application of Our Services
- Nutrient Levels - Provides soil nutrient levels and fertilizer recommendations when needed
- Soil Acidity - Measures soil pH and exchangeable acidity to determine lime requirements
- Soil Health - Measure the amount of lead or other toxic heavy metals in the soil
- Environmental Protection - Determines which areas are overloaded with nutrients that pollute local waterways
BOC Sciences' Advantages
- All analyses are supported by rigorous quality control procedures
- Provides excellent customer service, efficient and timely analysis
- Arrange independent soil fertility reports as required by our clients