Soil subsampling in environmental sciences: the role of granulometry

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Soil Science

Background:

• Analytical result uncertainty is a key concern for the scientific community.
• While analytical techniques have improved, uncertainty from sampling and subsampling is increasingly recognized as dominant.
• Soil analysis requires robust methods to account for heterogeneity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the uncertainty associated with soil subsampling activities.
• To compare the impact of different sieving methodologies (wet vs. dry) on subsampling uncertainty.
• To provide a quantitative assessment of distribution heterogeneity and empirical uncertainty determination.

Main Methods:

• Granulometry determinations were used to assess soil particle size distribution.
• Replicated measurements were employed to evaluate subsampling variability.
• Comparison of wet and dry sieving techniques was conducted.

Main Results:

• Subsampling uncertainty can significantly contribute to, or even dominate, the overall uncertainty budget in soil analysis.
• Differences were observed between wet and dry sieving methodologies in terms of their impact on subsampling uncertainty.
• Replicated measurements provided a quantitative measure of heterogeneity and allowed for empirical uncertainty determination.

Conclusions:

• Subsampling is a critical factor influencing the reliability of analytical results from soil samples.
• The choice of sieving methodology can affect the subsampling uncertainty.
• Accurate characterization of subsampling uncertainty is essential for robust soil analysis and data interpretation.