Comparison of results obtained through the analysis of chemical elements in background forest soils by different spectroscopy methods

The contents of Fe, Mn, Ti, Zr, Ni, Co, Cr, Zn, Pb in soil bulk samples and in five particle size fractions (1–0,25, 0,25–0,05, 0,05–0,01, 0,01–0,001, <0,001 mm) separated from the humus horizons of soils characteristic of the southeastern part of the Smolensk ‒ Moscow Upland were studied. Two methods, namely quantitative direct current arc atomic emission spectroscopy (DC-ARC-AES method) and ICP-AES/ICP-MS (ICP methods) were employed to assess concentrations of the elements in soddy soils of the sides and bottoms of two small erosional landforms and in loamy sod-podzolic soils on cover and deluvial loams. The analysis of bulk samples using ICP methods revealed higher concentrations relative to the results of DC-ARC-AES method for Mn in the 0,25–0,05 mm particle size fraction, Fe and Ni in the 0,05–0,01 mm particle size fraction, Fe, Ni, Co in the 0,01–0,001 mm particle size fraction; Fe, Ni, Cr, Zn, Co in the fraction with particle sizes <0,001 mm. The analytic method did not impact the results for Fe and Ni in the 0,25–0,05 mm particle size fraction, Co in the 0,05–0,01 mm fraction, Mn and Zn in the 0,01-0,001mm particle size fraction, Mn, Ti and Cu in the <0,001 mm particle size fraction. The DC-ARC-AES method revealed higher concentrations of elements in the coarse particle size fraction than those determined by ICP, because the fraction is dominated by mineral phases of the studied metals. The results obtained by the ICP methods for the clay fraction with the maximum content of mobile phases of elements slightly exceed those of the DC-ARC-AES analysis or show nearly equal concentrations. The regression analysis revealed a correlation between DC-ARC-AES and ICP methods if the entire range of concentrations is considered. Application of the equations for the predictive modeling of element concentrations could be limited because the residuals of the regression models do not have constant variance. According to the results obtained by two methods, the distribution of elements across the particle size fractions completely coincides for Mn, Co, Pb, Zr and Cu and is similar for Zn, Fe, Ti and Ni, i.e. the maximum and minimum concentrations of these elements were found in the same particle size fractions. Method of analysis had the maximum impact on the partitioning of Cr among particle size fractions.

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