The Use of near Infrared Spectroscopy to Quantify Lignite-Derived Carbon in Humus-Lignite Mixtures

Abstract

Assessment of the percentage of lignite-derived C (lign-C%) in mine soils may be achieved only by using time-consuming and expensive methods. The objectives of this study were (1) to compare near infrared (NIR) spectra of forest humus and lignite and (2) to test whether NIR spectroscopy may assess lign-C% in artificial mixtures of humus and lignite. The experiment consisted of three trials (T1, T2 and T3). In T1 the mixed samples ( n = 75) were produced from one humus sample and one lignite sample, in T2 (n = 74) from 74 different humus samples and one lignite sample and in T3 (n = 74) from 74 different humus samples and 15 lignite samples. In each trial, 35 samples were used to develop calibration equations and the remaining samples were used for validation. The humus and the lignite samples used to produce the mixed samples were analysed for C, H, N and S and their NIR spectra were recorded. The lignite samples contained more C, H and S and less N than the humus samples. Principal component analysis revealed significant differences between NIR spectra of the humus and the lignite samples. The prediction of lign-C% in T1 [regression coefficient (b) of linear regression (measured against predicted values) = 0.99, correlation coefficient ( r2) = 1.00, standard error of prediction (SEP) = 1.2%] and T2 ( b = 0.99, r2 = 0.99, SEP = 1.9%) was very good and in T3 satisfactory ( b = 0.83, r2 = 0.92, SEP = 4.0% ). The calibration equations of T2 predicted lign-C% satisfactorily and also in the validation samples of T3 (b = 0.88, r2 = 0.93, SEP = 4.0% ). The results indicate the ability of NIR spectroscopy to predict lign-C% in the mixed humus and lignite samples and suggest usefulness of NIR spectroscopy for the assessment of the percentage of lignite-derived C in the organic horizons of mine soils.