Inorganic chemical analysis of plant tissue: possibilities and limitations.

Abstract

The variability of analytical results for determination of 23 inorganic components in different plant materials was evaluated, using data obtained over the last 5 years of an extensive (on the average 120 participants) bimonthly collaborative interlaboratory study. In particular, the relation between content level and coefficient of variation (CV) was examined. Usually, a constant CV value was found at high content levels, with a sharp increase in CV at low levels. The precision found for N, P, K, Ca, Cl, Mg, Zn and nitrate was high enough (CV < 20%) to yield reasonably comparable content values. Comparison of analytical results for B, Cu, Fe, Cd, Mn and Na, may be difficult, since about 20% CV was already reached at the levels usually present in plant material. The analytical results for Al, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb, S, Se and sulphate varied considerably, irrespective of the content level, which means that comparable results are very hard to produce with these components. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)