HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fendorf, S. E. Articles by Kelley, M. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Fendorf, S. E. Articles by Kelley, M. J. Agricola Articles by Fendorf, S. E. Articles by Kelley, M. J.

Applications of X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy to Soils

Division of Soil Science, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844

D. L. Sparks^*

Dep. of Plant and Soil Sciences, Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE 19717-1303

G. M. Lamble

Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY 11973

M. J. Kelley

E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., P.O. box 80304, Wilmington, DE 19880-0304

* Corresponding author ( dlsparks{at}brahms.udel.edu).

ABSTRACT

Determining the local chemical environment of a species is often a necessity for evaluating its reactivity in the environment. However, obtaining direct molecular-level information is often problematic and may only be possible with severely invasive techniques. We discuss the physical and chemical aspects of x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS) and its application in soils. This technique can determine the local chemical and structural surroundings of a particular elemental species in soil and water or other natural systems, without the need to subject the sample to a foreign atmosphere. Electronic information and a fingerprint of the x-ray absorbing element's local environment is provided with XAFS and can be used to determine the speciation of an element in media like soils. Precise structural information (bond distances within 0.02 Å) can also be ascertained with this method, although this precision is often difficult to obtain in heterogeneous materials. Nevertheless, XAFS is a method that can contribute significantly to our knowledge of soils and soil reactions.

Received for publication September 16, 1993.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. A. Guest, D. G. Schulze, I. A. Thompson, and D. M. Huber Correlating Manganese X-Ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure Spectra with Extractable Soil Manganese Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., July 1, 2002; 66(4): 1172 - 1181. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. C. Bostick, S. Fendorf, M. O. Barnett, P. M. Jardine, and S. C. Brooks Uranyl Surface Complexes Formed on Subsurface Media from DOE Facilities Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 1, 2002; 66(1): 99 - 108. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]