ASTM: D5176: Nitrogen, Chemically Bound, in Water

Summary
Analytes
Revision
Data and Sites

Official Method Name

Standard Test Method for Total Chemically Bound Nitrogen in Water by Pyrolysis and Chemiluminescence Detection

Current Revision

Reapproved 1995. Current edition approved Sept. 15, 1991. Published February 1992.

Media

WATER

Instrumentation

Pyrolysis and Chemiluminescence Detection

Method Subcategory

Organic

Method Source

ASTM

Citation

Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Section 11, Water and Environmental Technology, Volume 11.02, Water (I)

Brief Method Summary

The sample of water is introduced into a stream of oxygen or inert gas/oxygen mix flowing through a quartz pyrolysis tube. Oxidative pyrolysis converts chemically bound nitrogen to nitric oxide (NO). The gas stream is dried and the NO is contacted with ozone (O₃) producing metastable nitrogen dioxide (NO₂^*). As the NO₂^* decays, light is emitted and detected by a photomultiplier tube. The resulting signal is a measure of the total chemically bound nitrogen in the sample.

Scope and Application

This test method covers the determination of the total nitrogen content of water in concentrations from 0.5 to 1000 mg/L. Higher nitrogen concentrations may be determined by making the proper dilutions. This test method does not determine molecular nitrogen (N2).

Applicable Concentration Range

0.5-1000 mg/L

Interferences

If water samples contain high concentrations of suspended matter or dissolved nonvolatile compounds, the syringe needle may tend to plug or the precision and bias of the test method may be degraded. In such a case, the sample boat system should be used .

Quality Control Requirements

Sample Handling

Maximum Holding Time

Relative Cost

$51 to $200

Sample Preparation Methods

This method has 1 analyte associated with it.

Analyte	Detection Level	Bias	Precision	Pct False Positive	Pct False Negative	Spiking Level
Nitrogen(1333-74-0) Nitrogen	0.500 mg/L	91% Rec (ML)	13.50 % RSD (ML)			11.10 mg/L

Precision Descriptor Notes:	Only nine of the 13 laboratories submitted results for this study. The data were processed as specified in the 1986 edition of Practice D 2777. The whole of one laboratory's results for the DI water matrix samples failed the outlier test. A single result from another laboratory was also rejected as an outlier. One laboratory reported only the average of its three readings, without standard deviation, and another laboratory did only duplicate runs; the results from these two laboratories were used where possible. The overall average value for nitrogen in the blank wastewater was calculated by the collaborative test organizer, who then subtracted it from the reported values for the spiked wastewater samples.
Detection Level Note:	None.

Precision Descriptor Notes:

Only nine of the 13 laboratories submitted results for this study. The data were processed as specified in the 1986 edition of Practice D 2777. The whole of one laboratory's results for the DI water matrix samples failed the outlier test. A single result from another laboratory was also rejected as an outlier. One laboratory reported only the average of its three readings, without standard deviation, and another laboratory did only duplicate runs; the results from these two laboratories were used where possible. The overall average value for nitrogen in the blank wastewater was calculated by the collaborative test organizer, who then subtracted it from the reported values for the spiked wastewater samples.

Detection Level Note:

None.

Revision	PDF/Link
Reapproved 1995. Current edition approved Sept. 15, 1991. Published February 1992.

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ASTM: D5176: Nitrogen, Chemically Bound, in Water

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