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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy to determine soil texture: A fast analytical technique

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Author(s):
Villas-Boas, Paulino Ribeiro [1] ; Romano, Renan Arnon [1, 2] ; de Menezes Franco, Marco Aurelio [1, 3] ; Ferreira, Edilene Cristina [4] ; Ferreira, Ednaldo Jose [1] ; Crestana, Silvio [1] ; Bastos Pereira Milori, Debora Marcondes [1]
Total Authors: 7
Affiliation:
[1] Embrapa Instrumentat, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil
[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Phys Inst Sao Carlos, IFSC USP, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil
[3] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Phys, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil
[4] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Dept Analyt Chem, BR-14800900 Araraquara, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 4
Document type: Journal article
Source: Geoderma; v. 263, p. 195-202, FEB 1 2016.
Web of Science Citations: 17
Abstract

The analysis of soil texture is crucial for the proper management of agricultural systems and for environmental studies. Soil texture is important as it affects erosion potential, water retention capacity, organic matter complexation, and the retention of nutrients, among others. It is usually determined by pipette or hydrometer methods, but analysis requires a preparation with chemical reagents, which can take hours and hence is unfeasible for large number of samples. Here we propose the use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to estimate the proportions of sand, silt, and clay in 60 Brazilian soil samples of varying composition. Two calibration models were developed with the partial least square regression method: one considering the spectral region from 188 to 980 nm and the other, emission lines of the elements Si, Na, Fe, Ti, Ca, K, Al, Co, Mg, V, Ba, and Be. The Pearson correlation coefficients for the estimated values were 0.89 and 0.90 on average for the first and second models, respectively. The uncertainties were 6% on average for both models. These results demonstrate the use of LIBS for rapid scanning of the texture of soil samples with distinct composition. The procedure presented here can be extended to other chemical and physical soil properties, which makes LIBS a universal tool for rapid soil analysis without preparation with chemical reagents. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)