SOME PROPERTIES OF THE ASH FROM SPRUCE NEEDLES

The weight of the ash resulting from dry ashing spruce needles at 500- degrees-C can be predicted with good precision from the concentrations of calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), and s ilicon (Si) in the needles. The empirical factors associated with the individual elements are given. There is evidence that they can also be applied to leaves from other plants. The colour of the ash can be rel ated to the Mn concentration in the needles. Dry ashing entails no los ses for Ca, cobalt (Co), barium (Ba), K, rubidium (Rb), antimony (Sb), scandium (Sc), and zinc (Zn), whereas a very small loss was observed for cesium (Cs), and a very large for bromine (Br).