Niagara Falls, Ontario (September 2024) –

Sample digestion is an integral part of understanding the health and composition of the plants and soil in our environment. Healthy soil is required to allow food and plants to grow and flourish. In particular, agriculture, for the purpose of food production requires healthy soil, and the absence of contaminants.

The ColdBlock R&D Laboratory team recently conducted a series of agricultural sample digestions using ColdBlock™ Digestion Pro Series Technology to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of this technology when compared to industry standards.

Agricultural sample digestion using ColdBlock is an effective and accurate way to uncover essential information about nutrient availability, soil health, and the existence of contaminants.

Findings include:

Accuracy – Recoveries for all sample types accurately match industry CRMs.

Speed – Digestions using ColdBlock are completed in 20-30 minutes.

Efficiency – Fewer steps are required in comparison to traditional methods.

Savings – All of these benefits translate into meaningful cost savings for labs/companies.

App Notes Summary

Recovery achieved using acid digestion methods was well within the range of acceptable values identified in the CRMs.

Soil analysis and agricultural sample testing are required for many reasons:

  • Understanding the soil’s nutritional content ensures the soil is a healthy environment in which to grow food.
  • Determining soil health, and identifying the presence of contaminants like heavy metals that can harm the plants and/or the people and animals who eat them.
  • Soil composition
  • Analyzing changes in soil properties over time. This allows farmers and researchers to gauge the effectiveness of soil management practices for long-term soil sustainability.
  • Assessing farming techniques to determine whether resources are being used efficiently.
  • Making informed decisions about the types and amounts of fertilizers needed to optimize crop yields and minimizes the risk of over-fertilization, which can lead to environmental issues such as runoff and water pollution.

For full details on these agricultural app notes, and a list of all app notes published by ColdBlock R&D Lab, visit ColdBlock.ca/resources.