Recent Trends on the use of Infrared Spectroscopy for Soil Assessment

Abstract

Infrared spectroscopy has emerged as a powerful tool to assess soil properties for both environmental science and agriculture. Here, we explore its recent trends and developments for soil assessment. This technique is an alternative that counters the limitations of traditional laboratory methods, offering a cost-effective and non-destructive approach. Here, the latest trends in the innovation landscape of infrared spectroscopy for soil assessment are explored, providing insights on its broad range of applications and into the future trajectory of this technology. Firstly, we delve into its applications in agriculture, highlighting its potential for prediction of many soil attributes. Next, we explore soil carbon assessment, emphasizing the importance of estimating soil organic carbon and soil carbon stock for soil quality. Soil pollution and elemental contents are addressed, focusing on the prediction of potentially toxic elements concentrations in soil, strongly relevant for environmental monitoring. Infrared spectroscopy emerges as a valuable tool for rapid and non-hazardous elemental content assessment. Soil physical properties prediction, traditionally limited to soil texture analysis, is extended through the application of novel approaches, shedding light on the broader potential of this technology for soil quality assessment. The ongoing developments in statistical modeling and technological innovation are also showcased, mainly focused on machine learning methods. Lastly, the importance of soil spectral libraries is emphasized, such as the Global Soil Spectral Calibration Library and Estimation Service, and Brazilian Soil Spectral Library. In conclusion, infrared spectroscopy has become an important tool in soil assessment, offering a multitude of applications across environmental and agricultural contexts. This review underscores the growing potential of this technology in advancing the standardization and reproducibility of sustainable soil assessment procedures, ensuring a brighter future for soil science.