prEN 17753
(Main)Inorganic fertilizers - Determination of specific contaminants
General Information
- Abstract
This document specifies references to methods for the determination of the following contaminants: mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, chromium(VI), biuret, perchlorate, total chromium and phosphonates content in inorganic fertilizers.
For the mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, perchlorate and total chromium content: This document is applicable to the fertilizing products blends where a blend is a mix of at least two of the following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants, and where the following category: inorganic fertilizers is the highest % in the blend by mass or volume, or in the case of liquid form by dry mass. If inorganic fertilizer is not the highest % in the blend, the European Standard for the highest % of the blend applies. In case a fertilizing product blend is composed of components in equal quantity, the user decides which standard to apply.
For the chromium(VI) and biuret content: This document is applicable to the fertilizing products blends where a blend is a mix of at least two of the following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants, and where organic matter is present in at least one of the products in the blend. In case a fertilizing product blend is composed only of inorganic products, the European Standard for inorganic fertilizers applies. Variations in analytical methods for fertilizing product blends can lead to differing results as some components or matrix interactions can affect the outcome. Validation procedures have shown that developed standard methods are robust and reliable across diverse product compositions, but possible interferences and unexpected results when analysing fertilizing product blends are possible.
An overview of the references to methods for the determination of the specific contaminants is given in Table 1.
NOTE 1 The determination of copper and zinc in inorganic fertilizers as micronutrients is covered by prEN 17754.
NOTE 2 The determination of copper in ammonium nitrate fertilizers of high nitrogen content is covered by CEN/TS 17751.
- Status
- Not Published
- Publication Date
- 24-Feb-2027
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 260 - Fertilizers and liming materials
- Drafting Committee
- CEN/TC 260/WG 7 - Chemical analysis
Overview
prEN 17753: Inorganic fertilizers – Determination of specific contaminants is a draft European Standard developed by CEN/TC 260. This standard specifies references to methods for determining the content of certain contaminants-comprising mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, chromium(VI), biuret, perchlorate, total chromium, and phosphonates-in inorganic fertilizers and relevant fertilizer blends. The standard is designed to support conformity with the contaminant safety requirements outlined in Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 for EU fertilizing products, promoting both environmental safety and product quality.
Key Topics
1. Covered Contaminants
- Heavy metals: mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, total chromium, chromium(VI)
- Organic/inorganic substances: biuret, perchlorate, phosphonates
2. Applicability to Fertilizer Blends
- Applies to blends containing at least two components (e.g., fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants).
- If the inorganic fertilizer fraction is the largest part of the blend, prEN 17753 applies. If not, the standard for the most prevalent component is used.
- For chromium(VI) and biuret, the standard applies when any blend component contains organic matter.
3. Analytical Methods
- Specifies robust, referenced methods such as ICP-AES, atomic absorption spectrometry, photometry, ion chromatography, and HPLC, depending on the contaminant.
- Emphasizes that sample preparation and extraction methods must follow referenced standards to ensure accurate contaminant quantification.
4. Compliance and Market Access
- Supports manufacturers' compliance with EU regulations, specifically Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, relating to the market placement of fertilizers.
- Adherence ensures products meet essential safety and quality requirements, facilitating access to the EU market.
Applications
Fertilizer Manufacturers and Blenders
- Use the standard to test finished products and raw materials for specific contaminants, ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Apply referenced methods when developing new inorganic fertilizer blends or reformulating existing products to verify safety.
Testing Laboratories
- Reference the prescribed analytical methods for mercury, cadmium, and other contaminants in fertilizer quality assurance and external testing services.
- Validate the presence and concentration of regulated substances to avoid legal or commercial setbacks.
Regulatory Authorities and Inspectors
- Assess compliance of inorganic fertilizers and blends on the market through standardized testing protocols.
- Aid in the certification and approval process for market release.
Agricultural Sector
- Ensures the fertilizers applied in agriculture do not introduce hazardous substances, supporting sustainable farming and environmental protection.
- Contributes to the safe application of soil amendments and plant nutrients.
Related Standards
- prEN 17754: Determination of copper and zinc as micronutrients in inorganic fertilizers.
- CEN/TS 17751: Determination of copper in high-nitrogen ammonium nitrate fertilizers.
- EN 1482-1, EN 1482-2, EN 1482-3: Fertilizers, liming materials, and inhibitors-sampling and sample preparation.
- EN 16317, EN 16318, EN 16319, EN 16320: Methods for analyzing heavy metals and chromium(VI).
- EN 16962, EN 16963, EN 16964, EN 16965: Determination of micronutrients using various analytical techniques.
- EN 17246: Analysis of perchlorates.
- ISO 18643: Biuret content in urea-based fertilizers.
Practical Value
Complying with prEN 17753 minimizes the risk of environmental contamination and meets regulatory demands for product safety. The standard enables reliable, repeatable contaminant testing, builds trust with consumers and regulators, and streamlines access to the EU fertilizer market for manufacturers. As environmental and regulatory requirements grow more stringent, adoption of prEN 17753 and referenced EU standards is essential for ensuring product integrity and sustainability across the inorganic fertilizer industry.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 03-Jul-2024
Get Certified
Connect with accredited certification bodies for this standard
Control Union Certifications
Global certification for agriculture and sustainability.
ECOCERT
Organic and sustainability certification.
FSC International
Forest Stewardship Council certification.
Sponsored listings
Frequently Asked Questions
prEN 17753 is a draft published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Inorganic fertilizers - Determination of specific contaminants". This standard covers: This document specifies references to methods for the determination of the following contaminants: mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, chromium(VI), biuret, perchlorate, total chromium and phosphonates content in inorganic fertilizers. For the mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, perchlorate and total chromium content: This document is applicable to the fertilizing products blends where a blend is a mix of at least two of the following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants, and where the following category: inorganic fertilizers is the highest % in the blend by mass or volume, or in the case of liquid form by dry mass. If inorganic fertilizer is not the highest % in the blend, the European Standard for the highest % of the blend applies. In case a fertilizing product blend is composed of components in equal quantity, the user decides which standard to apply. For the chromium(VI) and biuret content: This document is applicable to the fertilizing products blends where a blend is a mix of at least two of the following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants, and where organic matter is present in at least one of the products in the blend. In case a fertilizing product blend is composed only of inorganic products, the European Standard for inorganic fertilizers applies. Variations in analytical methods for fertilizing product blends can lead to differing results as some components or matrix interactions can affect the outcome. Validation procedures have shown that developed standard methods are robust and reliable across diverse product compositions, but possible interferences and unexpected results when analysing fertilizing product blends are possible. An overview of the references to methods for the determination of the specific contaminants is given in Table 1. NOTE 1 The determination of copper and zinc in inorganic fertilizers as micronutrients is covered by prEN 17754. NOTE 2 The determination of copper in ammonium nitrate fertilizers of high nitrogen content is covered by CEN/TS 17751.
This document specifies references to methods for the determination of the following contaminants: mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, chromium(VI), biuret, perchlorate, total chromium and phosphonates content in inorganic fertilizers. For the mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, perchlorate and total chromium content: This document is applicable to the fertilizing products blends where a blend is a mix of at least two of the following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants, and where the following category: inorganic fertilizers is the highest % in the blend by mass or volume, or in the case of liquid form by dry mass. If inorganic fertilizer is not the highest % in the blend, the European Standard for the highest % of the blend applies. In case a fertilizing product blend is composed of components in equal quantity, the user decides which standard to apply. For the chromium(VI) and biuret content: This document is applicable to the fertilizing products blends where a blend is a mix of at least two of the following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants, and where organic matter is present in at least one of the products in the blend. In case a fertilizing product blend is composed only of inorganic products, the European Standard for inorganic fertilizers applies. Variations in analytical methods for fertilizing product blends can lead to differing results as some components or matrix interactions can affect the outcome. Validation procedures have shown that developed standard methods are robust and reliable across diverse product compositions, but possible interferences and unexpected results when analysing fertilizing product blends are possible. An overview of the references to methods for the determination of the specific contaminants is given in Table 1. NOTE 1 The determination of copper and zinc in inorganic fertilizers as micronutrients is covered by prEN 17754. NOTE 2 The determination of copper in ammonium nitrate fertilizers of high nitrogen content is covered by CEN/TS 17751.
prEN 17753 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 65.080 - Fertilizers. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
prEN 17753 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to CEN/TS 17753:2022. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
prEN 17753 is associated with the following European legislation: EU Directives/Regulations: 2019/1009; Standardization Mandates: M/564, M/564 Amd 1, M/564 Amd 2. When a standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Union, products manufactured in conformity with it benefit from a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the corresponding EU directive or regulation.
prEN 17753 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-april-2026
Anorganska gnojila - Določanje specifičnih onesnaževal
Inorganic fertilizers - Determination of specific contaminants
Anorganische Düngemittel - Bestimmung spezifischer Kontaminanten
Engrais inorganiques - Détermination des contaminants spécifiques
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 17753
ICS:
65.080 Gnojila Fertilizers
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
February 2026
ICS 65.080 Will supersede CEN/TS 17753:2022
English Version
Inorganic fertilizers - Determination of specific
contaminants
Engrais inorganiques - Détermination des Anorganische Düngemittel - Bestimmung spezifischer
contaminants spécifiques Kontaminanten
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 260.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.
Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 17753:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Sampling and sample preparation . 6
4.1 Sampling . 6
4.2 Sample preparation . 6
5 Determination of specific contaminants . 6
5.1 Mercury (Hg) . 6
5.2 Cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) . 7
5.3 Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) . 7
5.4 Chromium(VI) (Cr(VI)) . 7
5.5 Biuret (C H N O ) . 7
2 5 3 2
5.6 Perchlorate (ClO -) . 8
5.7 Total chromium (Cr(total)) . 8
5.8 Phosphonates . 8
Annex ZA (informative) Relationship of this European Standard and the essential
requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 making available on the market of EU
fertilising products aimed to be covered . 9
Bibliography . 11
European foreword
This document (prEN 17753:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 260 “Fertilizers
and liming materials”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This document is currently submitted to CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede CEN/TS 17753:2022.
CEN/TS 17753:2022:
— the CEN Technical Specification has been adopted as a European Standard including the addition of
Annex ZA;
— Introduction updated;
— Scope (Clause 1) updated;
— Normative references (Clause 2) updated;
— Bibliography updated;
— determination of the phosphonates content (5.8) added.
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
For the relationship with EU Legislation, see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of this
document.
Introduction
Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 [3] lays down the rules on the making available on the market of EU
fertilizing products and the specific safety and quality requirements for the defined product function
categories (PFCs). Inorganic fertilizers have been classified into PFC 1(C).
The specific safety and quality requirements in relation to specific contaminants (i.e. the mercury,
cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, chromium VI, biuret, perchlorate and total chromium
content) are defined in this document as well as normative references of the test methods to be used in
order to measure the compliance with the related requirement in the Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 [3].
The definition of phosphonates is not clearly stated in Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 [3] and to avoid any
misunderstanding, the results are expressed as a content of phosphorus (P) bound in the form of free
water-soluble phosphonates (P-PO ).
1 Scope
This document specifies references to methods for the determination of the following contaminants:
mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, chromium(VI), biuret, perchlorate, total chromium
and phosphonates content in inorganic fertilizers.
For the mercury, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, perchlorate and total chromium content:
This document is applicable to the fertilizing products blends where a blend is a mix of at least two of the
following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant
biostimulants, and where the following category: inorganic fertilizers is the highest % in the blend by
mass or volume, or in the case of liquid form by dry mass. If inorganic fertilizer is not the highest % in the
blend, the European Standard for the highest % of the blend applies. In case a fertilizing product blend is
composed of components in equal quantity, the user decides which standard to apply.
For the chromium(VI) and biuret content: This document is applicable to the fertilizing products blends
where a blend is a mix of at least two of the following components: fertilizers, liming materials, soil
improvers, growing media, inhibitors, plant biostimulants, and where organic matter is present in at least
one of the products in the blend. In case a fertilizing product blend is composed only of inorganic
products, the European Standard for inorganic fertilizers applies. Variations in analytical methods for
fertilizing product blends can lead to differing results as some components or matrix interactions can
affect the outcome. Validation procedures have shown that developed standard methods are robust and
reliable across diverse product compositions, but possible interferences and unexpected results when
analysing fertilizing product blends are possible.
An overview of the references to methods for the determination of the specific contaminants is given in
Table 1.
NOTE 1 The determination of copper and zinc in inorganic fertilizers as micronutrients is covered by
prEN 17754.
NOTE 2 The determination of copper in ammonium nitrate fertilizers of high nitrogen content is covered by
CEN/TS 17751.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 1482-2:2024, Fertilizers, liming materials and inhibitors — Sampling and sample preparation — Part
2: General sample preparation provisions
prEN 12944-1:2026, Fertilizers, liming materials and inhibitors — Vocabulary — Part 1: General terms
prEN 12944-2:2026, Fertilizers, liming materials and inhibitors — Vocabulary — Part 2: Terms relating to
fertilizers
EN 16317:2013+A1:2017, Fertilizers and liming materials — Determination of arsenic by inductively
coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) after aqua regia dissolution
EN 16318:2013+A1:2016, Fertilizers and liming materials — Determination of chromium(VI) by
photometry (method A) and by ion chromatography with spectrophotometric detection (method B)
...