EN 13366:2001

Overview

EN 13366:2001 (CEN) specifies a laboratory method for determining the chelated micro‑nutrient content and the chelated fraction of micronutrients in fertilizers. The method uses treatment with a cation exchange resin to separate chelated from non‑chelated forms and is applicable to fertilizers covered by Directive 89/530/EEC that contain one or more of the trace elements cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc chelated by polyamino polycarboxylic acids.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Scope and applicability: Applies to fertilizers containing Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn chelated by members of the polyamino polycarboxylic acid family and falling under the Directive 89/530/EEC classification.
• Analytical principle: Use of a cation exchange resin to separate chelated micro‑nutrients from exchangeable (non‑chelated) forms prior to quantitative determination.
• Analytes covered: Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn) - determination of total chelated content and the chelated fraction of each element.
• Method outcome: Yields values for the amount of chelated trace elements and the proportion of each trace element present as chelate versus non‑chelate.
• Reporting: Results are used to characterise chelation status of micronutrients in fertilizer products for regulatory compliance and product labelling.

Applications

• Fertilizer manufacturers: Quality control of micronutrient formulations, verification of chelation claims, and batch testing.
• Analytical laboratories: Routine testing and certification of fertilizers to determine chelated micronutrient content.
• Regulatory authorities: Enforcement of Directive 89/530/EEC and verification that marketed fertilizers meet declared chelated micronutrient specifications.
• R&D and product development: Formulation development where chelation behavior affects micronutrient availability and stability.

Benefits

• Provides a standardized procedure for assessing chelated micro‑nutrients, improving comparability of test results across laboratories.
• Supports accurate product labelling and regulatory compliance for fertilizers containing chelated trace elements.

Related Standards

• EN 13366:2001 is part of the CEN family of fertilizer testing standards and is used alongside other European fertilizer standards and regulatory documents such as Directive 89/530/EEC. For complete conformity and testing programs, consult additional CEN fertilizer standards and national transpositions.

Keywords: EN 13366, fertilizers, chelated micronutrients, cation exchange resin, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, polyamino polycarboxylic acids, Directive 89/530/EEC, CEN.