Standard Practice for Nitric Acid Digestion of Solid Waste

1.1 This practice describes the digestion of solid waste using nitric acid for the subsequent determination of inorganic constituents by argon plasma emission spectroscopy or atomic absorption spectroscopy.

1.2 The following elements may be solubilized by this practice:

aluminum manganese beryllium mercury cadmium nickel chromium phosphorus copper vanadium iron zinc lead

1.3 This practice is to be used when the concentrations of total recoverable elements are to be determined from a waste sample. Total recoverable elements may or may not be equivalent to total elements, depending on the element sought and the sample matrix. Recovery from refractory sample matrices, such as soils, is usually significantly less than total concentrations of the elements present.

Note-This practice has been used successfully for oily sludges and a municipal digested sludge standard [Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Sample No. 397]. The practice may be applicable to some elements not listed above, such as arsenic, barium, selenium, cobalt, magnesium, and calcium. Refractory elements such as silicon, silver, and titanium are not solubilized by this practice.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazard statements, see Section 7.