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.