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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/35374| Title: | Matrix and target particle-size effects on LIBS analysis of soils |
| Authors: | Beal, Samuel A. Mossell, Ashley M. Clausen, Jay L. |
| Keywords: | Contaminants Grain size Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy Metals Quantitative analysis Soil heterogeneity Soils--Testing Standoff detection Trace elements |
| Publisher: | Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.) Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.) |
| Series/Report no.: | Technical Report (Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)) ; no. ERDC/CRREL TR-20-1 |
| Abstract: | Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a rapid, low-cost analytical method with potential applications in quantitative analysis of soils for major and trace elements. Here we examined the effects of matrix and tar-get particle sizes on measurements of soil composition by LIBS. The experimental approach involved milling a clean sand matrix to six different particle sizes (medians: 19 to 810 μm) and spiking each with two different iron (Fe) minerals (medians: 1 and 74 μm) to a constant concentration of 5 wt%. The LIBS intensity of Fe emission lines decreased by 50% with in-creasing matrix processing and decreasing matrix particle size, regardless of spike. Conversely, emission lines of the matrix element silicon (Si) in-creased with decreasing matrix particle size. We hypothesized that this in-tensity effect was a result of changing surface concentrations, which was also apparent under visual inspection of the samples. Precision was acceptable for the 1 μm Fe spike in all matrices but required further puck milling and particle-size reduction for the larger Fe spike and for deter-mining Si content in both spikes and blanks. These results highlight the importance of matching matrix texture between standards and unknowns and of reducing particle size for quantitative LIBS analysis of soil. |
| Description: | Technical Report |
| Gov't Doc #: | ERDC/CRREL TR-20-1 |
| Rights: | Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited |
| URI: | https://hdl.handle.net/11681/35374 http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/35374 |
| Size: | 27 pages / 2.023 Mb |
| Types of Materials: | PDF/A |
| Appears in Collections: | Technical Report |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERDC-CRREL TR-20-1.pdf | 2.07 MB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |