AFRICAN 
STANDARD  DARS  
1487 
First Edition 2018  
 
 Reference No. ARS 1487:2018 (E) 
ICS 65.080  
 
 
© ARSO 2018  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Potassium chloride (muriate of potash) fertilizer — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS  1487:2018  
ii © ARSO 2018 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
3 Terms and definition  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  1 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 1 
4.1 General Description  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  1 
4.2 Physical requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  1 
4.3 Chemical requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  2 
4.4 Heavy metal contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 2 
5 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
6 Tests  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  2 
6.1 Methods of test  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  2 
6.2 Inspection ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  2 
7 Compliance  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 2 
8 Packaging and labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  3 
8.1 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
8.2 Labelling ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 3 
9 Certificate of analysis  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  3 
10 Material safety  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  3 
 DARS 14 87:2018 
© ARSO 2018 — All rights reserved  iii  
Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARS O) is an African intergovernmental organization 
established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU)  in 1977 . One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmoniz e 
African Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s int ernal trading capacity, increase 
Africa’s product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities. 
The work of preparing African  Standards is normally carried out through ARSO  technical committees. 
Each Member State  interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has 
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regional Economic 
Communities (RECs), governmental and non -governmental  organizations , in liaison with ARSO , also 
take part in the work.  
 
ARSO  Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of technical committees is to prepare ARSO  Standards. Draft ARSO  Standards 
adopted by the technical committe es are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an 
ARSO  Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of 
patent rights. ARSO  shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by the ARSO Technical Harmonization Committee Number 5 on 
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (ARSO/THC 05).  
 
 
 
 
 
© Afric an Organisation for Standardisation  2018 — All rights reserved* 
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
                                                 
* 2018 ARSO — All rights of exploitati on reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs. 
 DARS  1487:2018  
iv © ARSO 2018 — All rights reserved   
 
Copyright notice  
 
This ARSO document is copyright -protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document 
by partic ipants in the ARSO standards development process is permitted without prior 
permission from ARSO, neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored 
or transmitted in any form for any other purpose without prior written permission from  ARSO.  
 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 2018 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be p rosecuted.  
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS 14 87:2018  
© ARSO 2018 — All rights reserved  1  
Potassium chloride (muriate of potash) fertilizer — Specification  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This African Standard specifies  the requirements , sampling and test methods for potassium chloride 
(muriate of potash) fertilizer.  
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of t his document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
AOAC Official Method 983.04, Sodium in fertilizers — Atomic absorption spectropho tometric method  
 
AOAC 2006.03,  Arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, lead, molybdenum, nickel, and selenium in 
fertilizers — Microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma -optical emission spectrometry  
 
EN 12048, Solid fertilizers and liming materials — Determination of moisture content — Gravimetric 
method by drying at 105 2 C 
 
EN 15477, Fertilizers — Determination of the water -soluble potassium content  
 
ISO 7409, Fertilizers — Marking — Presentation and declarations  
 
ISO 8157, Fertilizers and soil cond itioners — Vocabulary  
 
ISO 8397, Solid fertilizers and soil conditioners — Test sieving  
 
ISO 14820 -1, Fertilizers and liming materials — Sampling and sample preparation — Part 1: 
Sampling  
 
ISO 14820 -2, Fertilizers and liming materials — Sampling and sample  preparation — Part 2: Sample 
preparation  
 
ISO 17318, Fertilizers and soil conditioners — Determination of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead 
and mercury contents  
 
ISO 17319, Fertilizers and soil conditioners — Determination of water -soluble potassium conten t — 
Potassium tetraphenylborate gravimetric method  
 
3 Terms and definition  
 
For the purpose of this standard, the terms and definitions in ISO 8157 apply.  
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 General Description  
 
The fertilizer shall be in the form of free -flowing  crystal line powder /or granul es and free from visible 
contamination.  
 
4.2 Physical  requirements  
 
4.2.1  When test sieved in accordance with ISO 8397, t he particle size for granular fertilizer shall 
be such that not less than 90 %, by mass of the fertilizer shall b e of particles in the size range of 1 
mm to 4 mm.  
 AFRICAN STANDARD  CD-ARS 14 87:2018  
2 © ARSO 2018 — All rights reserved  4.2.2  when tested in accordance with ISO 8397,the particle size for crystalline powder fertilizer 
shall be such that not less than 65 % of the material shall pass through 1.7 mm IS sieve and be 
retained on  0.25 mm IS siev e. 
 
4.3 Chemical  requirements  
 
The fertilizer shall comply with the requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the 
methods specified herein.  
 
Table 1 — Chemical  requirements for potassium chloride fertilizer  
 
Sl. No.  Chara cteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i) Potash content, (as K 2O), % m/m, min.  60.0 ISO 17319 / EN 15477  
ii) Sodium content (as NaCl), % m/m, max.  3.5 AOAC  983.04  
iii) Moisture, % m/m, max.  0.5 EN 12048  
 
4.4 Heavy metal contaminants  
 
The heavy metal contam inants, if present, shall not exceed the limits stipulated in Table 2.  
 
Table 2 — Heavy metal contaminants  
 
Sl. No. Parameter  Maximum limit , mg/kg  Test method  
i)  Arsenic, As  10.0 ISO 17318  
ii)  Cadmium, Cd  7.0 ISO 17318  
iii)  Mercury, Hg  0.1 ISO 17318  
iv)  Selenium , Se 1.0 AOAC 2006.03  
v)  Lead, Pb  30.0 ISO 17318  
 
5 Sampling  
 
Sampling shall be carried out in accordance with ISO 14820 -1. 
 
6 Tests  
 
6.1 Methods of test  
 
Samples of the fertilizer shall be prepared in accordance with ISO 14820 -2 and tested in accordance 
with the methods of test indicated in Table 1 and Table 2.  
 
6.2 Inspection  
 
From the bulk samples obtained from ISO 14820 -1, inspect the lot for the characteristics relating to 
the packing and marking of the product.  
 
7 Compliance  
 
The lot shall be deemed t o comply with the standard if after inspection and testing it complies with the 
requirements of this standard.  
 DARS 14 87:2018  
© ARSO 2018 — All rights reserved  3 8 Packaging and labelling  
 
8.1 Packaging  
 
The fertiliser shall be packed in clean, non -defective and strong containers. The material for which the 
container is made shall be such as to protect the contents from moisture and also not lead to easy 
rupture during handling, transportation and storage.  
 
8.2 Labelling  
 
8.2.1  Each container of the fertiliser shall bear a label in indelible marking in ac cordance with ISO 
7409, the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) and with the following particulars:  
 
a) name, address and physical location of the manufacturer/packer/importer;  
 
b) name of the product;  
 
c) the minimum potash content as K 2O in percentage by ma ss; 
 
d) the net weight of the material in the package;  
 
e) handling instructions;  
 
f) country of origin;  
 
g) storage instructions;  
 
h) batch/ lot number;  
 
i) date of manufacture;  
 
j) best before date  
 
k) instructions for use  
 
8.2.2  Bulk containers  
 
Where t he product is distributed in bulk, the marking information shall accompany the delivery notice 
to the purchaser.  
 
9 Certificate of analysis  
 
A certificate of analysis stating the minimum percentage levels of plant nutrient elements shall 
accompany every lo t or consignment of the fertilizer.  
 
10 Material safety  
 
Each container must be accompanied by a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and Technical Data 
Sheet (TDS).  
 
 
 DARS 14 87:2018 
© ARSO 2018 — All rights reserved