Development of a Fieldable Soil Carbon Monitor

Proper management of soils and vegetation can increase their uptake of CO2 and therefore allow them to become more effective ¿land-sinks¿ for the mitigation of global climate change. This project will apply spark-induced breakdown spectroscopy (SIBS), a technique that has been used to perform elemental composition measurements in both aerosol and soil matrices, to the measurement of carbon in soil. Phase I will seek to prove the basic idea of applying SIBS to this measurement and identify optimal data handling approaches. Phase II will develop and test a fully miniaturized prototype. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: A small, rugged, and fieldable monitor for soil carbon would help assess management strategies for the sequestration of carbon dioxide in soil. The device also could be extended to hazardous waste characterization and on-line powder analysis.