Thermal analysis of whole soils and sediment

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 330 - 337
• Main Authors: DeLapp, R.C, LeBoeuf, E.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society 01.01.2004; Crop Science Society of America; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agronomy; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; chemical analysis; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Coal; Collapse; Copyrights; Correlation; Differential scanning calorimetry; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental quality; Exact sciences and technology; Eyeglasses; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Glass transition; Humans; Humic acids; lignite; Loams; Organic matter; Origins; Peat; peat soils; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Pollution, environment geology; Sediments; silt loam soils; Soil; soil analysis; Soil and water pollution; Soil science; Soils; sorption; Specific heat; Surficial geology; temperature; Thermal analysis; Thermal expansion; Thermal pollution; Thermal properties; Thermodynamics; Thermomechanical analysis; Netherlands; Florida; North Dakota; Illinois; Property of soil; Organic soil; Mineral soils; Soil pollution; Experimental study; Sediments; Peat; Environmental engineering; Thermal properties; Lignite; Organic material; Properties of materials; Water pollution; Soil science; Thermal analysis
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2004.3300

Thermal analysis techniques were utilized to investigate the thermal properties of two soils and a lignite coal obtained from the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS), and sediment obtained from the Netherlands. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed glass transition behavior of each sample at temperatures ranging from 52 degrees C for Pahokee peat (euic, hyperthermic Lithic Medisaprists), 55 degrees C for a Netherlands (B8) sediment, 64 degrees C for Elliott loam (fine, illitic, mesic Aquic Arguidolls), to 70 degrees C for Gascoyne leonardite. Temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) revealed glass transition behavior at similar temperatures, and quantified constant-pressure specific heat capacity (C(p)) at 0 degrees C from 0.6 J g(-1) degrees C(-1) for Elliott loam and 0.8 J g(-1) degrees C(-1) for the leonardite, to 1.0 J g(-1) degrees C(-1) for the peat and the sediment. Glass transition behavior showed no distinct correlation to elemental composition, although Gascoyne Leonardite and Pahokee peat each demonstrated glass transition behavior similar to that reported for humic acids derived from these materials. Thermomechanical analysis (TMA) revealed a large thermal expansion followed by a matrix collapse for each sample between 20 and 30 degrees C, suggesting the occurrence of transition behavior of unknown origin. Thermal transitions occurring at higher temperatures more representative of glass transition behavior were revealed for the sediment and the peat.