1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the determination of the total metal content
in leather using digestion of the leather and subsequent determination with inductively
coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), inductively coupled plasma
mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) or spectrometry of
atomic fluorescence (SFA).
This method determines the total metal content in leather. It is not compound-specific
or specific to the oxidation state of the metals.
The method is applicable for determining the following metals:
| Aluminium (Al) |
Copper (Cu) |
Potassium (K) |
| Antimony (Sb) |
Iron (Fe) |
Selenium (Se) |
| Arsenic (As) |
Lead (Pb) |
Silicon (Si) |
| Barium (Ba) |
Magnesium (Mg) |
Sodium (Na) |
| Cadmium (Cd) |
Manganese (Mn) |
Tin (Sn) |
| Calcium (Ca) |
Mercury (Hg) |
Titanium (Ti) |
| Chromium (Cr) (except chromium-tanned leathers) |
Molybdenum (Mo) |
Zinc (Zn) |
| Cobalt (Co) |
Nickel (Ni) |
Zirconium (Zr) |
This method is also suitable for determining Boron (B) in leather.
In the case of chromium-tanned leathers, it is often more relevant to use ISO 5398‑1, ISO 5398‑2, ISO 5398‑3 or ISO 5398‑4.
Interlaboratory test results and the quantification limits possible with ICP-OES are
given in Tables A.1 and A.2.
For the determination of Al and Ti in leather, a digestion procedure is given in Annex B.