Abstract
A method is proposed for determining the water content of nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus compound fertilizers. The method combines drying with methanol extraction, with or without ultrasonic comminution of the fertilizer. The total moisture content of the sample is calculated as a sum of1 that found by drying and that determined by the extraction method (residual moisture). Two methods of methanol extraction were used: extraction of the uncomminuted fertilizer sample directly in the titration vessel, or extraction of the comminuted sample by ultrasonic vibration. Water contents determined by the proposed method ranged from 0.3 to 1.7%. Standard deviations for extraction without and with comminution were 0.015 and 0.018%, respectively. Moreover, ultrasonic comminution of fertilizer increased the amount of residual water extracted by about 20% compared with other methods.