The determination of plant nutrients, trace elements and heavy metals in fertilizers is of great importance. High crop yields require a sufficient supply of plant nutrients, such as phosphorus and potassium, and of essential trace elements, such as copper and zinc.
At the same time, the content of heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, nickel, arsenic and uranium, must be kept low in order to avoid accumulation in soil and their entrance into the food chain.
Such an analysis is usually conducted by ICP, which requires acid digestion. This report describes that X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is a suitable alternative
method to determine nutrient and trace element content. XRF allows to determine the potassium and phosphorus concentration in the fertilizer. It is also suitable as a fast screening tool to test for trace element content for legal compliance.
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