Elementary mass for the particle-size analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT The research hypothesis was that particle-size analysis and sand fractionation can be performed using small amounts of soil. The objectives were as follows: to calculate the errors resulting from the replacement of the reference method; to define the smallest mass to determine soil particle size; and to perform sand fractionation. The experiment was conducted with samples from the A and B horizons of an Argissolo Amarelo (Alfisol) in a completely randomized design, with four treatments: 2, 4, 6, and 20 g of Air-Dried Fine Earth (ADFE), and 10 replicates. In all cases, the F-test was used on the analysis of variance, and Dunnett’s test was conducted for means comparison. The results with the reference method for clay, sand, and silt, in sequence, were as follows: 66 (±2), 867 (±6), and 67 (±5) g kg−1 for A horizon and 379 (±15), 557 (±17), and 64 (±5) g kg−1 for the B horizon. Among all treatments used to determine particle size, only the treatment with a soil mass of 6g does not statistically differ from the reference method (20 g) in the determination of sand, silt, and clay fractions. In terms of sand sorting, all treatments applied defined poorly sorted sands.