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N/Protein Determination in Plants

N/Protein Determination in Plants according to Dumas combustion method (He/Ar as Carrier)

Nitrogen is the most important nutritional element for plants, since it is involved in the building of their proteins, nucleic acids and other several cell components. It is taken from the soil or from the air, and it can be used only through a specified and complex chemical process called nitrogen cycle.

Four Plants WEPAL samples (Wageningen Evaluating Programs for Analytical Laboratories, Wageningen University, Netherlands), are used to evaluate the reliability of the analytical method for the nitrogen and protein determination by using helium and argon as carrier gas with NDA 702. The samples were tested without any pre-treatment.

Nitrogen Determination in Plants

The Dumas method starts with a combustion furnace (CF) to burn the sample, obtaining elemental compounds. Water is removed by a first physical trap (WT1 - DriStep™), placed after the combustion, and a second chemical one (WT2). Between the two, the elemental substances pass through a reduction furnace (RF).

The auto-regenerative CO2 absorbers (CO2) let pass only the elemental nitrogen that is detected by the LoGas™ innovative Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD) with no requirement for a reference gas. The NDA 702 is controlled through the intuitive DUMASoft™.

Conclusion
Results are extremely reliable and reproducible, as demonstrated by the RSD, by using helium or argon as carrier gas, with the same conditions (method and sample weight) since the goal is to obtain < 2.0% relative standard deviation, as requested by official methods. The obtained values fell within the expected nitrogen range of each standard material certified by WEPAL, demonstrating the effective performance of NDA 702.

Helium remains the best choice for premium accuracy but its shortages and interruptions are affecting any related product or instrument, including elemental analyzers. Argon, the best alternative available, proved to be a valid substitute, ensuring optimal results. VELP Scientifica NDA 702 Dual Carrier Gas Dumas Nitrogen Analyzer is the perfect response for simple, fast and precise nitrogen/protein determination, both with Helium and Argon as carrier gas.
 
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