IR Spectroscopy, Soil Analysis Applications

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is an established analytical tool for studying soil. The sensitivity of FTIR spectroscopy to local structural environments of infrared active soil components offers a multitude of applications that complement conventional soil science analytical techniques and provide unique insights. Its applications include identification and structural characterization of soil minerals, including phyllosilicates and metal oxides, monitoring pedogenic processes, characterizing soil organic matter composition, and measuring and characterizing the interactions of molecules, such as ions and organic compounds, with minerals. The recent development of attenuated total reflectance techniques has unlocked a new frontier in the potential of FTIR spectroscopy to resolve processes, including kinetics, occurring in aqueous conditions and at liquid–surface interfaces.