Optimizing Soil and Plant Analysis with the VELP CN 802: The Experience of the University of Sarajevo
The faculty focuses on soil and plant sciences, with a strong commitment to agricultural sustainability and environmental protection. Its laboratory studies soil fertility, plant nutrition, and ecosystem balance, where precise carbon and nitrogen analysis plays a key role.
To enhance the accuracy and efficiency of its elemental analysis, the university integrated the VELP CN 802 Carbon/Nitrogen Elemental Analyzer, a cutting-edge instrument designed for reliable, rapid, and user-friendly C/N determination. This acquisition was made possible through the EU4AGRI project, "Smart systems in agriculture: a response to the challenges of the 21st century," an initiative funded by the European Union to modernize the agri-food sector and promote sustainable agricultural practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Before integrating the CN 802 into their workflow, the research team faced several challenges:
Time-consuming methods that required extensive sample preparation and analysis time.
The laboratory previously estimated nitrogen content indirectly from organic matter and used atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for some analyses. However, these techniques required complex sample preparation, hazardous chemicals, and long processing times, which limited efficiency.
Inconsistent results, making it difficult to ensure reproducibility across different research projects.
The limitations of their previous methodologies made it difficult to ensure reproducibility across research projects, affecting participation in high-level studies and funding opportunities. They were less competitive in securing new collaborations without precise, standardized data.
Manual processes and chemical exposure.
The reliance on outdated methods increased manual labor, the risk of errors, and exposure to hazardous chemicals.