Simple Analysis of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Combination with TOC in Aqueous Samples

Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential elements for humans as well as flora and fauna. In addition to their role as a nutrient their presence can also give important information about a sample e.g. the practice of over-fertilization or the likelihood of heavy metals being present in water bound to phosphate. Consequently, the determination of these elements is indispensable for the evaluation of water quality.

The analysis of Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) to estimate such risks in combination with the determination of Total Organic Carbon (TOC), a sum parameter for the pollution of water with organic compounds, is realized in the Acquray instrument from Elementar. A powerful UV lamp with two wavelengths delivers optimum conditions for the digestion of even the most stable compounds. The automated sample analysis for TOC/TN/TP gives significant benefits compared to manual methods that require manual sample feeding and rinsing steps. The modular design of the Acquray allows the instrument to be configured to the individual's requirements and offers future-proofing with the option for subsequent upgrades.

The analysis of TOC, TN and TP with one system is an innovative solution for analyses of many kind of samples. We present the application of the novel TOC/TN/TP analysis with excellent recovery and precision based on a wide range of samples like pure water, environmental water or waste water.