scholarly journals Rubidium measured by XRF as a predictor of soil particle size in limestone and siliceous parent materials

Author(s):  
Maame E. T. Croffie ◽  
Paul N. Williams ◽  
Owen Fenton ◽  
Anna Fenelon ◽  
Karen Daly

Abstract Purpose Information about particle size distribution (PSD) and soil texture is essential for understanding soil drainage, porosity, nutrient availability, and trafficability. The sieve-pipette/gravimetric method traditionally used for particle size analysis is labour-intensive and resource-intensive. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry may provide a rapid alternative. The study’s aim was to examine the use of XRF for rapid determination of PSD in Irish soils. Methods Soils (n = 355) from existing archives in Ireland were analysed with a benchtop energy-dispersive XRF (EDXRF). Correlation and regression analyses were determined to compare Rb, Fe, Al, and Si concentrations to % clay, % silt, and % sand. Also, linear regression models were developed to compare % clay, % sand, and % silt measured by the gravimetric method to values predicted by EDXRF. Results The relationship between element concentration and PSD was dependent on parent material. Rb, Al, and Fe showed a significant (p < 0.05) correlation (r > 0.50) with % clay and % sand in soils derived from limestone and siliceous stone parent materials. Rb was the best predictor for % clay (R2 = 0.49, RMSE = 10.20) in soils derived from limestone and siliceous stone-derived soils. Conclusion Geochemistry and clay mineralogy of the soils’ parent material strongly influenced the EDXRF’s ability to predict particle size. The EDXRF could predict % clay in soils from parent materials which weather easily, but the opposite was true for soils with parent material recalcitrant to weathering. In conclusion, this study has shown that the EDXRF can screen % clay in soils derived from limestone and siliceous stone parent materials.

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 232
Author(s):  
Pedro J. Sánchez-Soto ◽  
Eduardo Garzón ◽  
Luis Pérez-Villarejo ◽  
George N. Angelopoulos ◽  
Dolores Eliche-Quesada

In this work, an examination of mining wastes of an albite deposit in south Spain was carried out using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), particle size analysis, thermo-dilatometry and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, followed by the determination of the main ceramic properties. The albite content in two selected samples was high (65–40 wt. %), accompanied by quartz (25–40 wt. %) and other minor minerals identified by XRD, mainly kaolinite, in agreement with the high content of silica and alumina determined by XRF. The content of Na2O was in the range 5.44–3.09 wt. %, being associated with albite. The iron content was very low (<0.75 wt. %). The kaolinite content in the waste was estimated from ~8 to 32 wt. %. The particle size analysis indicated values of 11–31 wt. % of particles <63 µm. The ceramic properties of fired samples (1000–1350 °C) showed progressive shrinkage by the thermal effect, with water absorption and open porosity almost at zero at 1200–1250 °C. At 1200 °C, the bulk density reached a maximum value of 2.38 g/cm3. An abrupt change in the phase evolution by XRD was found from 1150 to 1200 °C, with the disappearance of albite by melting in accordance with the predictions of the phase diagram SiO2-Al2O3-Na2O and the system albite-quartz. These fired materials contained as main crystalline phases quartz and mullite. Quartz was present in the raw samples and mullite was formed by decomposition of kaolinite. The observation of mullite forming needle-shape crystals was revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The formation of fully densified and vitrified mullite materials by firing treatments was demonstrated.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maame Croffie ◽  
Paul N. Williams ◽  
Owen Fenton ◽  
Anna Fenelon ◽  
Karen Daly

&lt;p&gt;Soil texture is an essential factor for effective land management in agricultural production. Knowledge of soil texture and particle size at field scale can aid with on-going soil management decisions. Standard soil physical and gravimetric methods for particle size analysis are time-consuming and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) provides a rapid and cost-effective alternative. The objective of this study was to explore the use of XRF as a predictor for particle size. An extensive archive of Irish soils with particle size and soil texture data was used to select samples for XRF analysis. Regression and correlation analyses on XRF determined results showed that the relationship between Rb and % clay varied with soil type and was dependent on the parent material. There was a strong relationship (R &gt; 0.62, R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&gt;0.30, p&lt;0.05) between Rb and clay for soils originating from bedrock such as limestones and slate. Contrastingly, no significant relationship (R&lt;0.03, R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;=0.00, p&gt;0.05) exists between Rb and % clay for soils originating from granite and gneiss. Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation (p&lt;0.05) between Rb and % sand. The XRF is a useful technique for rough screening of particle size distribution in soils originating from certain parent materials. Thus, this may contribute to the rapid prediction of soil texture based on knowledge of the particle size distribution.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;


Author(s):  
Lawrence J. Czerwonka ◽  
Jack M. Carey

A general purpose centrifuge method for measuring particle-size distribution of air-filter inlet, outlet and catch dust samples is demonstrated. Treatment and analysis of data to determine air-cleaner performance based on size distribution is shown for two types of air filters, a louver and a glass-fiber media filter. The advantages and limitations of the method and interpretations of results associated with the application of these procedures for arriving at efficiency versus particle-size performance curves, and for predicting filter efficiency for any given dust are discussed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 775-776 ◽  
pp. 377-382
Author(s):  
Mirtys Allamana Ferreira Cardoso ◽  
Alexsandra Cristina Chaves ◽  
M.M. Dantas ◽  
Isabelle Albuquerque da Silva ◽  
I.D.S. Pereira ◽  
...  

The state of Paraíba disposes of one of the largest deposits of smectites in the country. However, these smectites present in their composition elevated contents of accessory minerals, especially quartz. For these clays to become viable to determine technological use it is necessary the elimination of part of these minerals. The particle size analysis of a soil consists in the determination of the size of the particles that constitute it and their distribution in certain intervals. This work aims to study smectite clays from the city of Pedra Lavrada-PB, through the particle size analyses, for the use in water based drilling fluids. The determination of particle size was made by sieving and laser granulometer. Apparent and plastic viscosities were measured from the samples. The clays were left at rest before the test for periods of 7 and 28 days, with and without deflocculant. It was verified that there was no significant difference in the particle sizes in relation to the resting time of the samples.


Clay Minerals ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Huggett ◽  
J. Cuadros

AbstractThe clay mineralogy and chemistry of a green lacustrine marl that has been pedogenically modified in the upper part was investigated in order to better understand the formation of low-temperature Fe-rich 10 Å clay. Twelve samples in a vertical sequence have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser particle size analysis. The clay assemblage has a range of overall illite-smectite (I-S) compositions (64–100%) resulting from several I-S phases that, for the sake of modelling, have been simplified to one to three I-S phases of increasing illitic content. Where the lacustrine marl has been pedogenically modified, the smectite-rich I-S is much reduced in abundance or absent and the 10 Å -rich component is both more abundant and more illitic. These assemblages are a consequence of illitization of detrital I-S in the lake and soil, and dissolution of other clays (kaolinite and chlorite) in the hypersaline lake. Interlayer K, octahedral Fe and octahedral + interlayer Mg increase with intensity of illitization (increase range 0.32–0.63, 0.68–1.67, 0.18–0.24 per O10(OH)2, respectively), first in the increasingly saline lake, and latterly as a result of wetting and drying in a gley soil. In the soil environment, reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) resulted in increased layer charge but, as by this stage very few smectite interlayers remained, this did not result in an equivalent increase in illite. Laser particle-size analysis, supported by SEM observation, shows the existence of a bimodal distribution of clay particle size (maxima at 0.2 and 1.5–1.8 μm) in which the finer fraction increases largely in the pedogenically affected samples, probably due to particle break-up caused by seasonal wetting and drying. This ‘dual action’ illitization, first in a hypersaline lake and latterly through wetting and drying, may be responsible for both the intensity of illitization and exceptionally high (for the Solent Group) Fe content of the authigenic illite. The chemical characteristics of the illitic I-S and the illite end-member correspond to glauconite. Hence, this is an example of onshore, non-pelletal glauconite formation.


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