scope:

This document specifies a spectrophotometric method. The principle of the method consists in that the nitrate present in the extract of the sample is used to nitrate salicyclic acid in sulphuric acid medium. The nitro-compound formed is of an intense yellow colour in alkaline solution and the colour is measured spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 410 nm. ISO 787-13 specifies a method using Nessler's reagent. The two methods may not necessarily give the same result; work is being carried out to compare the two methods.