Significance and Use 5.1 A knowledge of the inorganic composition of a waste is often required for the selection of appropriate waste disposal practices. Solid waste may exist in a variety of forms and contain a range of organic and inorganic constituents. This practice describes a digestion procedure which dissolves many of the toxic inorganic constituents and produces a solution suitable for determination of total recoverable contents by such techniques as atomic absorption spectroscopy, atomic emission spectroscopy, and so forth. The relatively large sample size aids representative sampling of heterogenous wastes. The relatively small dilution factor allows lower detection limits than most other sample digestion methods. Volatile metals, such as lead and mercury, are not lost during this digestion procedure, however organo-lead and organo-mercury may not be completely digested. Hydride-forming elements, such as arsenic and selenium, may be partially lost. Samples with total metal contents greater than 5 % may give low results. The analyst is responsible for determining whether this practice is applicable to the solid waste being tested.Scope 1.1 This practice describes the partial digestion of solid waste using nitric acid for the subsequent determination of the total recoverable content of inorganic constituents. 1.2 This practice is to be used when the concentrations of total recoverable elements are to be determined from a waste sample. Total recoverable elements are often not equivalent to total elemental content, because of the solubility of the speciated forms of the element in the sample matrix. Recovery from refractory sample matrices, such as soils, is usually significantly less than total concentrations of the elements present. Note 1: 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, as well as organo-mercury, are not solubilized by this practice. 1.3 This practice has been divided into two methods, A and B, with Method A utilizing an electric hot plate and Method B utilizing an electric digestion block. 1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard. 1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
