Scientists Developing Tests for Synthetic Fertilizers

Researchers in Spain have developed a method that uses nitrogen isotopic discrimination to test whether plants received synthetic fertilizers, says a story on Food Navigator.com. Their research was published in the Journal of Environmental Quality. With organic markets growing, it may be important to have means of detecting organic fraud, such as the use of synthetic fertilizers on supposedly organic products. This research found that the use of synthetic fertilizers significantly reduced the ratio between the nitrogen isotopes 15N2 and 14N2 in plant leaves, stems, roots and fruits, compared to what is observed naturally in the atmosphere.