DIN EN 13038:2012-01

This European Standard specifies an instrumental method for the routine determination of electrical conductivity in a water extract of a soil improver or growing medium. The determination is carried out to obtain an indication of the content of water soluble electrolytes in either soil improvers or growing media. This method is not applicable to liming materials and pre-formed materials like rockwool and foam slabs. The requirements of the standard may differ from the national legal requirements for the declaration of the products concerned. A test portion is extracted with water at (22 ± 3,0) °C in an extraction ratio of 1+5 (V/V) to dissolve the electrolytes. The specific electric conductivity of the extract is measured and the result is adjusted to a measurement temperature of 25 °C. With respect to DIN 13038:2000-02, note 1 no longer excludes the application of the standard to sewage sludges and the relative standard deviations of the results of the interlaboratory trial given in Table A.1 were corrected. The standard was also editorially revised and therewith adopted to the current design rules. The Committee responsible for this standard is NA 057-03-01 AA "Bodenverbesserungsmittel und Kultursubstrate" ("Soil improvers and growing media") at DIN.