1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the determination of ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 -N) in drinking water, groundwater, surface water, wastewater, bathing water and mineral
water using the small-scale sealed tube method. The result can be expressed as NH 4 or NH 4 -N or NH 3 or NH 3 -N.
NOTE 1 In the habitual language use of sewage treatment and on the displays of automated
sealed-tube test photometers or spectrophotometers, NH 4 without indication of the positive charge has become the common notation for the
parameter ammonium. This notation is adopted in this document even though not being
quite correct chemical nomenclature.
This method is applicable to (NH 4 -N) concentration ranges from 0,01 mg/l to 1 800 mg/l of NH 4 -N. The measuring ranges of concentration can vary depending on the type of small-scale sealed tube method of different manufacturers. Concentrations even slightly higher than the upper
limit indicated in the manufacturers manual relating to the small-scale sealed tube method used, cannot be reported as accurate results. It is up to the user to choose
the small-scale sealed tube test with the appropriate application range or to adapt samples with concentrations
exceeding the measuring range of a test by preliminary dilution.
NOTE 2 The results of a small-scale sealed tube are most precise in the middle of the application range of the test.
Open preview (PDF)Water quality — Determination of ammonium nitrogen in water — Small-scale sealed tube method