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Full-Text Articles in Soil Science

Elemental Analysis And Forensic Comparison Of Soils By Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (Libs) And Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (La-Icp-Ms), Sarah C. Jantzi Nov 2013

Elemental Analysis And Forensic Comparison Of Soils By Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (Libs) And Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (La-Icp-Ms), Sarah C. Jantzi

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The elemental analysis of soil is useful in forensic and environmental sciences. Methods were developed and optimized for two laser-based multi-element analysis techniques: laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). This work represents the first use of a 266 nm laser for forensic soil analysis by LIBS.

Sample preparation methods were developed and optimized for a variety of sample types, including pellets for large bulk soil specimens (470 mg) and sediment-laden filters (47 mg), and tape-mounting for small transfer evidence specimens (10 mg). Analytical performance for sediment filter pellets and tape-mounted soils was similar …


Geogram 2013, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology Oct 2013

Geogram 2013, David J. Keeling Editor, Wku Department Of Geography And Geology

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.


Activated Carbon Preconditioning To Reduce Contaminant Leaching In Cement-Based Stabilization Of Soils, Renee Elizabeth Crane Aug 2013

Activated Carbon Preconditioning To Reduce Contaminant Leaching In Cement-Based Stabilization Of Soils, Renee Elizabeth Crane

Masters Theses

Powdered activated carbon (PAC) is often added with cement to enhance the stabilization and solidification (S/S) of materials contaminated with organic compounds. Adsorption of organic contaminants onto PAC can reduce leaching of organic contaminants. Simultaneous addition of PAC and cement reduces soil handling costs, but cement hydration reactions coat PAC with Ca(OH)2 before contaminants can be adsorbed onto PAC. Laboratory studies were done on four aged, contaminated soils from manufactured gas plant sites to compare the performance of S/S treatment with simultaneous addition of PAC and cement vs. cement addition after preconditioning with PAC to enhance contaminant adsorption. Performance was …


Water Track Modification Of Soil Ecosystems In The Lake Hoare Basin, Taylor Valley, Antarctica, Joseph S. Levy, Andrew G. Fountain, Michael N. Gooseff, John E. Barrett, Robert Vantreese, Kathleen A. Welch, W. Berry Lyons, Uffe N. Nielsen, Diana H. Wall Jul 2013

Water Track Modification Of Soil Ecosystems In The Lake Hoare Basin, Taylor Valley, Antarctica, Joseph S. Levy, Andrew G. Fountain, Michael N. Gooseff, John E. Barrett, Robert Vantreese, Kathleen A. Welch, W. Berry Lyons, Uffe N. Nielsen, Diana H. Wall

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Water tracks are zones of high soil moisture that route shallow groundwater down-slope, through the active layer and above the ice table. A water track in Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, was analysed for surface hydrogeological, geochemical, and biological characteristics in order to test the hypothesis that water tracks provide spatial structure to Antarctic soil ecosystems by changing the physical conditions in the soil environment within the water tracks from those outside the water tracks. The presence of the water track significantly affected the distribution of biotic and abiotic ecosystem parameters: increasing soil moisture, soil salinity, and soil organic matter …


Determination Of The Cec In Srs Soils And The Capability Of Epa Model 9081 For Cec Of Acidic Soils, Alexandra Simpson May 2013

Determination Of The Cec In Srs Soils And The Capability Of Epa Model 9081 For Cec Of Acidic Soils, Alexandra Simpson

Alexandra M Simpson

No abstract provided.


Determination Of The Cec In Srs Soils And The Capability Of Epa Model 9081 For Cec Of Acidic Soils, Alexandra Simpson May 2013

Determination Of The Cec In Srs Soils And The Capability Of Epa Model 9081 For Cec Of Acidic Soils, Alexandra Simpson

Alexandra M Simpson

No abstract provided.


Hydro-Geochemical Coupling In Seawater Inundation Acid Sulfate Soils: Mobilisation Of Arsenic And Hysteresis In Iron And Sulfur Cycling, Scott Johnston, Annabelle Keene, Edward Burton, Richard Bush, Leigh Sullivan May 2013

Hydro-Geochemical Coupling In Seawater Inundation Acid Sulfate Soils: Mobilisation Of Arsenic And Hysteresis In Iron And Sulfur Cycling, Scott Johnston, Annabelle Keene, Edward Burton, Richard Bush, Leigh Sullivan

Associate Professor Edward D Burton

A large-scale field trial indicates that tidal seawater inundation of coastal acid sulfate soils (CASS) stimulates iron and sulfate reducing conditions, leading to the generation of internal alkalinity and greatly decreasing soil / groundwater acidity. This remediation technique can be considered highly effective from the relatively narrow perspective of decreasing acidity and raising pH. However, a broader perspective reveals that tidal seawater inundation initiates complex and tightly coupled hydrological and geochemical processes within sediments and porewaters. These processes have had a profound effect on the mobilisation, redistribution and transformation of Fe minerals in the landscape (Johnston et al., 2011a) – …


Adsorption Of Antimony By Birnessite And The Impact Of Antimony On The Electrostatic Surface Properties Of Variable-Charge Soil Minerals, Kalyn Alaine Vergeer May 2013

Adsorption Of Antimony By Birnessite And The Impact Of Antimony On The Electrostatic Surface Properties Of Variable-Charge Soil Minerals, Kalyn Alaine Vergeer

Masters Theses

Antimony (Sb) is a toxin that can be found in high concentrations in the soil due to anthropogenic sources. Antimony exists in soil as Sb(V) in the monovalent antimonate hydroxyanion. The adsorption mechanisms of Sb(V) are not well-characterized. The objective of this study was to further elucidate Sb(V) adsorption mechanisms by examining the impact of adsorption on surface charging characteristics of gibbsite, goethite, birnessite, and kaolinite. Also examined was Sb(V), SO4 [sulfate], and PO4 [phosphate] adsorption by birnessite. Electrophoretic mobility and potentiometric titrations were employed to examine the ζ-potential [zeta-potential] and net proton surface charge density as a …


Arsenic Mobilization And Iron Transformations During Sulfidization Of As(V)-Bearing Jarosite, Scott Johnston, Edward Burton, Annabelle Keene, Britta Planer-Friedrich, Andreas Voegelin, Mark Blackford, Greg Lumpkin Apr 2013

Arsenic Mobilization And Iron Transformations During Sulfidization Of As(V)-Bearing Jarosite, Scott Johnston, Edward Burton, Annabelle Keene, Britta Planer-Friedrich, Andreas Voegelin, Mark Blackford, Greg Lumpkin

Associate Professor Edward D Burton

Jarosite (KFe3(SO4) 2(OH)6) is an important host-phase for As in acid mine drainage (AMD) environments and coastal acid sulfate soils (CASS). In AMD and CASS wetlands, jarosite may encounter S(−II) produced by sulfate reducing bacteria. Here, we examine abiotic sulfidization of As(V)-bearing K-jarosite at pH 4.0, 5.0, 6.5 and 8.0. We quantify the mobilization and speciation of As and identify corresponding Fe mineral transformations. Sulfide-promoted dissolution of jarosite caused release of co-precipitated As and the majority of mobilized As was re-partitioned to a readily exchangeable surface complex (AsEx). In general, maximum As mobilization occurred in the highly sulfidized end-members of …


Adsorption Of Hexavalent Chromium On Hydrous Manganese Oxide, Andrew K. Macleod Apr 2013

Adsorption Of Hexavalent Chromium On Hydrous Manganese Oxide, Andrew K. Macleod

Masters Theses

Hexavalent chromium is a very common contaminant most often associated with industrial processes, it is quite mobile in the subsurface and a better understanding of its mobility and interactions with soil constituents will help ongoing remediation efforts.

Hydrous manganese oxides (HMO) are a very common soil constituent and thus would be likely to interact with Cr(VI) in contaminated shallow subsurface environments. The goal of this study is to develop a working model that can improve predictions of Cr(VI) mobility in natural systems. A diffuse double layer surface complexation model (DLM) was developed by deriving reaction stoichiometries and stability constants for …


Determination Of The Cec In Srs Soils And The Capability Of Epa Model 9081 For Cec Of Acidic Soils, Alexandra M. Simpson Mar 2013

Determination Of The Cec In Srs Soils And The Capability Of Epa Model 9081 For Cec Of Acidic Soils, Alexandra M. Simpson

Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.


Cave Ventilation Is Influenced By Variations In The Co2-Dependent Virtual Temperature, Enrique P. Sánchez-Cañete, Penélope Serrano-Ortiz, Francisco Domingo, Andrew S. Kowalski Jan 2013

Cave Ventilation Is Influenced By Variations In The Co2-Dependent Virtual Temperature, Enrique P. Sánchez-Cañete, Penélope Serrano-Ortiz, Francisco Domingo, Andrew S. Kowalski

International Journal of Speleology

Dynamics and drivers of ventilation in caves are of growing interest for different fields of science. Accumulated CO2 in caves can be exchanged with the atmosphere, modifying the internal CO2 content, affecting stalagmite growth rates, deteriorating rupestrian paintings or creating new minerals. Current estimates of cave ventilation neglect the role of high CO2 concentrations in determining air density – approximated via the virtual temperature (Tv) –, affecting buoyancy and therefore the release or storage of CO2. Here we try to improve knowledge and understanding of cave ventilation through the use of T …


Abiotic Nitrate And Nitrite Reactivity With Iron Oxide Minerals, Prakash Dhakal Jan 2013

Abiotic Nitrate And Nitrite Reactivity With Iron Oxide Minerals, Prakash Dhakal

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Under iron (Fe3+)-reducing conditions where aqueous Fe2+ and unreduced solid Fe3+-oxides commonly coexist, soil Fe2+ oxidation has been shown to be coupled with nitrate (NO3-) reduction. One possible secondary reaction is the involvement of NO3- and nitrite (NO2-) with Fe-oxide minerals found in many natural environments. Yet, spectroscopic measurements and kinetic data on reactivity of NO3- and NO2- with Fe-containing oxide minerals such as goethite (a-FeOOH), and magnetite (Fe34) are not found in the literature. The reactivity of …