NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AS A POTENTIAL METHOD FOR ROUTINE SEDIMENTANALYSIS TO IMPROVE RAPIDITY AND EFFICIENCY

The potential for improvement in the rapidity, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency of sediment analysis by the application of near-infrared r eflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) is recognized. The rapid (< 2 min), non chemical, non-destructive analytical technique of near-infrared (700 - 2500 nm) spectroscopy combines applied spectroscopy and complex stati stics. It has been used for the experimental analysis of various const ituents and functions of soils since the 1960s, and applications for t he analysis of sediments are currently being explored. For application of NIPS, sediment samples require little preparation, other than dryi ng, and the samples are not subject to the manipulations of convention al analytical techniques. The spectral information recorded in a 2 min scan can be used to predict numerous constituents and parameters on t he samples once appropriate calibration equations have been prepared f rom sets of samples analyzed by both NIRS and conventional analytical techniques. Constituents and properties of soil and/or sediment analyz ed by NIPS technology include moisture, organic matter content, organi c C, CO3=, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, clay content, humic acids, lignin, cell ulose, metal oxides, heavy metals, aggregate size, and inferred past p H of lakes. Several areas are identified where further research is nee ded to prepare for the application of NIRS to the routine analysis of sediments. (C) 1998 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.