Contrast agents for soil investigation with X-ray computed tomography

Denis Van Loo; Liesbeth Bouckaert; Olivier Leroux; Elin Pauwels; Manuel Dierick; Luc Van Hoorebeke; Veerle Cnudde; Stefaan De Neve; Steven Sleutel

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.08.036

Contrast agents for soil investigation with X-ray computed tomography

Denis Van Loo
, Liesbeth Bouckaert
, Olivier Leroux
, Elin Pauwels
, Manuel Dierick
, Luc Van Hoorebeke
, Veerle Cnudde
, Stefaan De Neve
, Steven Sleutel^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

non-UU output of (former) DES-UU members

Ghent University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The majority of microbial mediated soil processes depend on availability of organic matter (OM), water and air. Because of its ability to visualize the 3D architecture of soil non-destructively, X-ray computed tomography (CT) is becoming a widespread tool for studying soil pore network structure. However, phase determination of pore space, soil OM, soil mineral matter (MM) and water is often limited even with the latest technological and software advances, allowing high resolution and better quality imaging. Contrast agents commonly used in histology enable enhancement of X-ray attenuation of targeted structures or compounds. Here we report on the first systematic investigation of the use of such X-ray contrast agents for soil research. An evaluation procedure as well as a method to apply the agents to soil samples was developed and applied on reference soil samples. The effectiveness and selectivity of the contrast agents was evaluated for soil organic matter (SOM), MM and water. Several products were found to selectively increase the attenuation of water or SOM. The four agents with the best OM-staining capabilities (phosphomolybdenic acid (PMA), silver nitrate, lead nitrate and lead acetate) were further tested on an OM-MM mixture and all showed an increased of the SOM attenuation coefficient above the MM values.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	485-491
Number of pages	7
Journal	Geoderma
Volume	213
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.08.036
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2014

Funding

This work was sponsored by the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO projects G.0100.08 and 1.5.088.10 N). Steven Sleutel is working as a post-doctoral researcher for the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO). The Special Research Fund of Ghent University (BOF) is acknowledged for the financial support (GOA 01G01008).

Keywords

Soil organic matter
Staining
X-ray computed tomography

Access to Document

10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.08.036

Cite this

@article{65c8f3f648034e048eb2dae267f4084e,

title = "Contrast agents for soil investigation with X-ray computed tomography",

abstract = "The majority of microbial mediated soil processes depend on availability of organic matter (OM), water and air. Because of its ability to visualize the 3D architecture of soil non-destructively, X-ray computed tomography (CT) is becoming a widespread tool for studying soil pore network structure. However, phase determination of pore space, soil OM, soil mineral matter (MM) and water is often limited even with the latest technological and software advances, allowing high resolution and better quality imaging. Contrast agents commonly used in histology enable enhancement of X-ray attenuation of targeted structures or compounds. Here we report on the first systematic investigation of the use of such X-ray contrast agents for soil research. An evaluation procedure as well as a method to apply the agents to soil samples was developed and applied on reference soil samples. The effectiveness and selectivity of the contrast agents was evaluated for soil organic matter (SOM), MM and water. Several products were found to selectively increase the attenuation of water or SOM. The four agents with the best OM-staining capabilities (phosphomolybdenic acid (PMA), silver nitrate, lead nitrate and lead acetate) were further tested on an OM-MM mixture and all showed an increased of the SOM attenuation coefficient above the MM values.",

keywords = "Soil organic matter, Staining, X-ray computed tomography",

author = "\{Van Loo\}, Denis and Liesbeth Bouckaert and Olivier Leroux and Elin Pauwels and Manuel Dierick and \{Van Hoorebeke\}, Luc and Veerle Cnudde and \{De Neve\}, Stefaan and Steven Sleutel",

year = "2014",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.08.036",

language = "English",

volume = "213",

pages = "485--491",

journal = "Geoderma",

issn = "0016-7061",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Contrast agents for soil investigation with X-ray computed tomography

AU - Van Loo, Denis

AU - Bouckaert, Liesbeth

AU - Leroux, Olivier

AU - Pauwels, Elin

AU - Dierick, Manuel

AU - Van Hoorebeke, Luc

AU - Cnudde, Veerle

AU - De Neve, Stefaan

AU - Sleutel, Steven

PY - 2014/1/1

Y1 - 2014/1/1

N2 - The majority of microbial mediated soil processes depend on availability of organic matter (OM), water and air. Because of its ability to visualize the 3D architecture of soil non-destructively, X-ray computed tomography (CT) is becoming a widespread tool for studying soil pore network structure. However, phase determination of pore space, soil OM, soil mineral matter (MM) and water is often limited even with the latest technological and software advances, allowing high resolution and better quality imaging. Contrast agents commonly used in histology enable enhancement of X-ray attenuation of targeted structures or compounds. Here we report on the first systematic investigation of the use of such X-ray contrast agents for soil research. An evaluation procedure as well as a method to apply the agents to soil samples was developed and applied on reference soil samples. The effectiveness and selectivity of the contrast agents was evaluated for soil organic matter (SOM), MM and water. Several products were found to selectively increase the attenuation of water or SOM. The four agents with the best OM-staining capabilities (phosphomolybdenic acid (PMA), silver nitrate, lead nitrate and lead acetate) were further tested on an OM-MM mixture and all showed an increased of the SOM attenuation coefficient above the MM values.

AB - The majority of microbial mediated soil processes depend on availability of organic matter (OM), water and air. Because of its ability to visualize the 3D architecture of soil non-destructively, X-ray computed tomography (CT) is becoming a widespread tool for studying soil pore network structure. However, phase determination of pore space, soil OM, soil mineral matter (MM) and water is often limited even with the latest technological and software advances, allowing high resolution and better quality imaging. Contrast agents commonly used in histology enable enhancement of X-ray attenuation of targeted structures or compounds. Here we report on the first systematic investigation of the use of such X-ray contrast agents for soil research. An evaluation procedure as well as a method to apply the agents to soil samples was developed and applied on reference soil samples. The effectiveness and selectivity of the contrast agents was evaluated for soil organic matter (SOM), MM and water. Several products were found to selectively increase the attenuation of water or SOM. The four agents with the best OM-staining capabilities (phosphomolybdenic acid (PMA), silver nitrate, lead nitrate and lead acetate) were further tested on an OM-MM mixture and all showed an increased of the SOM attenuation coefficient above the MM values.

KW - Soil organic matter

KW - Staining

KW - X-ray computed tomography

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84884723500

U2 - 10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.08.036

DO - 10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.08.036

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84884723500

SN - 0016-7061

VL - 213

SP - 485

EP - 491

JO - Geoderma

JF - Geoderma

ER -

Contrast agents for soil investigation with X-ray computed tomography

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this