Laser Diffractometry in the Measurements of Soil and Sediment Particle Size Distribution

Bieganowski, Andrzej; Ryżak, Magdalena; Sochan, Agata; Barna, Gyöngyi; Hernádi, Hilda; Beczek, Michał; Polakowski, Cezary; Makó, András

doi:10.1016/bs.agron.2018.04.003

Cited by 72 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 181 publications

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“…1) and is linked to the operator subsampling operation. Subsampling appears to be highly operator-dependent and can infer variations on the results of the same sample that are even higher than the analytical differences observed [5]. The intra-variation of the natural samples was observed mostly for coarse classes (very coarse silt to fine sand) measured by the Coulter and the Portable_C devices (Fig.…”

Section: Intra-variationmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…The investigation of their nature and origins has now become essential [3]. Among the different parameters used to characterize particles when studying their behavior (e.g., mineralogy, shape, color), particle size remains one of those most investigated [4,5] and it is often an issue in geoscience studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For loamy sediments, laser diffraction instruments produced the best results for the various criteria [8]. The main differences observed between the laser diffraction method (LDM) and the other methods are related to particle morphology and clay mineralogy [5,9]. Clay content can be underestimated in suspended sediments [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The LDM is widely used on sediment and suspended particles as it covers a wide range of grain sizes and requires short analysis time [5,8,11]. For example, particle size analyses are processed on cores recovered from marine, estuarian and coastal zones for paleoceanographic and sea-level reconstructions [12][13][14][15] and paleo-environmental questions associated with human history [16][17][18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nowadays, many devices from different manufacturers are used to measure PSD by LDM, with different designs and software applications, leading to slightly different distributions [8,21]. Bieganowski et al [5] suggested that about 24 factors can influence the PSD results and lead to uncertainty or error. Differences arise as all these parameters vary between devices and laboratories, since resolving the issue of the homogeneous resuspension of sediment is a complex [22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Grain size analyzers: results of an intercomparison study

et al. 2019

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In sciences involving soil and sediment, particle size distribution (PSD) has been one of the parameters given most attention over the past few decades. Formerly measured by sieving and sedimentation techniques, it is nowadays routinely characterized by the laser diffraction method (LDM). Many manufacturers develop particle size analyzers using LDM, but each device is characterized by specific parameters that can lead to different PSDs. At the Rhône Sediment Observatory, suspended particulate matter collected along the Rhône River is analyzed for PSD by four different LDM devices. Analyses were conducted on certified materials and sediment samples for each device. The tests highlighted the difficulty of accurately characterizing PSD, even in the case of certified materials. First, differences observed for a specific device were linked to the heterogeneity observed in the subsamples due to the presence of organic materials such as tree leaves. Second, the difference regarding the certified materials was linked to the laser diffraction method which leads in some cases to underestimating clay content and sand. Third, the main difference observed between the devices was linked to sonication. The results demonstrate that its power is rarely investigated and that it has a considerable impact when used. However, despite significant differences, the trend was similar for each device, with accurate characterizations of the main modal class in most cases. Thus, in the absence of exact knowledge of parameters such as sonication power and pump speed, it is recommended to compare only the trends of the results obtained from the different devices.

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Section: Intra-variationmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Grain size analyzers: results of an intercomparison study

et al. 2019

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Using particle size distributions to fingerprint suspended sediment sources—Evaluation at laboratory and catchment scales

Lake

Martínez‐Carreras

Shaw

et al. 2022

Hydrological Processes

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Applications of sediment source fingerprinting studies are growing globally despite the high costs and workloads associated with the analyses of conventional fingerprint properties on target sediment samples collected using traditional methods. To this end, there is a need to test new fingerprint properties that can overcome these challenges. Sediment particle size could potentially contribute here since it is relatively easy to measure but, until now, has rarely been deployed as a fingerprint itself. Instead, particle size has been used to ensure that source and target sediment samples are more directly comparable on the basis of the fingerprints used. Accordingly, this work examined whether particle size distributions (PSDs) could be used as a reliable fingerprint for apportioning sediment sources, in combination with a grain size un‐mixing model. Application of PSDs as a fingerprint was tested at two scales: (i) in a laboratory setting where soil samples with known PSDs were used to generate artificial mixtures to evaluate un‐mixing model results, and (ii) a catchment setting comparing PSDs in a confluence‐based approach to test if downstream target sediment PSDs could be un‐mixed into the contributions of sediment coming from an upstream and a tributary sampling site. Laboratory results showed that the known proportions of the two, three and four soil samples in the artificial mixtures were predicted accurately using the AnalySize grain size un‐mixing model, giving average absolute errors of 9%, 8% and 6%, respectively. Catchment results showed variable performances when comparing un‐mixing results with sediment budget estimations, with the best results obtained at higher discharge values during storm runoff events. Overall, our results suggest the potential of using PSDs for estimating contributions of sediment sources delivering SS with distinct PSDs when sources are located at short distance to the downstream sampling site.

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Architecture of soil microaggregates: Advanced methodologies to explore properties and functions

Amelung,

Tang,

Siebers

et al. 2023

J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci.

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The functions of soils are intimately linked to their three‐dimensional pore space and the associated biogeochemical interfaces, mirrored in the complex structure that developed during pedogenesis. Under stress overload, soil disintegrates into smaller compound structures, conventionally named aggregates. Microaggregates (<250 µm) are recognized as the most stable soil structural units. They are built of mineral, organic, and biotic materials, provide habitats for a vast diversity of microorganisms, and are closely involved in the cycling of matter and energy. However, exploring the architecture of soil microaggregates and their linkage to soil functions remains a challenging but demanding scientific endeavor. With the advent of complementary spectromicroscopic and tomographic techniques, we can now assess and visualize the size, composition, and porosity of microaggregates and the spatial arrangement of their interior building units. Their combinations with advanced experimental pedology, multi‐isotope labeling experiments, and computational approaches pave the way to investigate microaggregate turnover and stability, explore their role in element cycling, and unravel the intricate linkage between structure and function. However, spectromicroscopic techniques operate at different scales and resolutions, and have specific requirements for sample preparation and microaggregate isolation; hence, special attention must be paid to both the separation of microaggregates in a reproducible manner and the synopsis of the geography of information that originates from the diverse complementary instrumental techniques. The latter calls for further development of strategies for synlocation and synscaling beyond the present state of correlative analysis. Here, we present examples of recent scientific progress and review both options and challenges of the joint application of cutting‐edge techniques to achieve a sophisticated picture of the properties and functions of soil microaggregates.

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Laser Diffractometry in the Measurements of Soil and Sediment Particle Size Distribution

Cited by 72 publications

References 181 publications

Grain size analyzers: results of an intercomparison study

Grain size analyzers: results of an intercomparison study

Using particle size distributions to fingerprint suspended sediment sources—Evaluation at laboratory and catchment scales

Architecture of soil microaggregates: Advanced methodologies to explore properties and functions

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