Elemental analysis – a question of balance

The presence of metallic and non-metallic elements in soil and water is vital to our health and well-being. Fourteen elements are essential for plant growth and development and even more have essential roles in livestock and human nutrition.

Metallic elements such a copper and zinc are classic examples. Both are vital for animal and plant nutrition and are used in various forms, including copper sulphate and zinc oxide, as legitimate agricultural chemicals. Conversely, both have a record as heavy metal soil contaminants and pollutants from a range of industrial activities.

There is an ongoing requirement, right across the environmental monitoring and water industries for fast, efficient and accurate instrumentation, equipped with all the chemistries necessary to analyse the full range of metallic and

non-metallic elements found in soil, water and plant matter.

Burkard Scientific Ltd has development an instrumentation package to suit the requirement of laboratories engaged in this type of analysis. It comprises multi-channel, flow analysis systems with the choice of Segmented Flow Analysis (SFA) or Flow Injection Analysis (FIA), depending on the analysis to be undertaken and the speed required.

The FIAflo 2000, based on colorimetric and UV detection offers 2-6 channel instruments, up to four simultaneous heated methods, and easy exchange of chemistry manifolds. The FIA uses ion selective electrodes, chemiluminescence or fluorescence and is suitable for both the small sampler user as well as for routine analysis work.

The modular SFA-2000 system is suitable for both small and large throughput laboratories and employs advanced Windows computer software.