Horiba LAQUAtwin Nitrate Meter

The salt of nitric acid is called nitrate. It is a water-soluble compound of nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrate as an inorganic nitrogen compound occurs naturally in soil, but also in the form of potassium nitrate as a fertilizer ingredient applied to agricultural land. In addition to agriculture, nitrates are also frequently used in the chemical industry as oxidizing agents.

The EU Drinking Water Directive stipulates the parameter 50mg/liter for adults as a quality standard. This value has been adopted by the German Drinking Water Ordinance as the limit value in the list of chemical parameters. For infants and young children, on the other hand, a strict value of 20mg/liter must not be exceeded, as too high a nitrate content in drinking water can lead to serious damage to health in the long term.

In addition to drinking water, nitrate is also ingested through the consumption of fresh vegetables, cereals and fruit. Here too - depending on the product - guidelines regarding maximum levels must be observed.

With pocket meters from Horiba, you can obtain the analysis results for nitrate measurement directly on site.

Application examples:

Nitrate as a quality parameter for water

The monitoring of the quality parameter nitrate plays an important role in water analysis in the areas of drinking water, wastewater and process water.

In all areas, high demands are placed on water quality, because water has certain constituents that could have harmful effects on consumers, production and industrial plants if certain limit values are exceeded. For example, excessive nitrate concentrations must be avoided.

A continuous analysis of the relevant parameters is therefore recommended and possible in a very short time due to the simple application by the LAQUAtwin nitrate measuring device.

Our measuring instruments are not only used in agriculture, drinking water treatment or food production, but are also recommended for private use.

A quick test of the domestic tap water can be carried out in a few steps and provides accurate results. Experts recommend testing one's own tap water for its nitrate content, especially if children live in the household.

Soil Analysis

Soil testing has been used effectively over the years to determine the availability of nutrients to plants.

Nitrogen is one of the essential nutrients taken up by plants in the form of ammonium and nitrate ions for their green leaf growth. Application of ammonium fertilizer to plants results in conversion to nitrate. In addition, organic material that is decomposed in the soil is also converted first to ammonium and then to nitrate. These circumstances lead to increased nitrate levels in the soil.

Plant tissues, especially from the leaf and stem, contain relatively high levels of nitrate, which has been shown to be a good indicator of the nitrogen content of the plant. Laboratory analysis of nitrogen content in dry plant tissue usually takes a long time. Thanks to the modern technology of the compact nitrate meter, chemical analyses succeed in a very short time and can be carried out independently.

Fertilization of onions with nitrogen from nitrate.

For optimal plant growth, plants need the nitrogen of nitrate to build protein. The nitrate is absorbed by the roots of the plant with the water, distributed in the plant, transformed and partially stored.

This is important for the cultivation of onions, among other things. Nitrogen promotes the number of bulb scales and thus bulb size. Excess, on the other hand, can lead to delayed ripening, reduced skin firmness, and poor storability.

In this case, regular monitoring of the nitrate content by means of Horiba's hand testers can positively contribute to maximizing yields and improving the quality of the product.