Total organic carbon (TOC) quantification based on trace elements

Abstract

Many trace elements are associated with organic matter. The total organic carbon (TOC) content can be thus calculated basing on the chemical composition measurements. The aim of the presented paper was to evaluate the possibility of estimating the organic matter amount on the basis of trace elements such as: Ni, Cu, Mo, U, V, Zn, Cr, Sr, Pb and Co, for Silurian black shales. Correlations between individual elements and total organic carbon were analysed. Next, mathematical models allowing to calculate the amount of organic matter based on the content of elements significantly related to TOC were constructed. Both more accurate chemical composition analyses (ICP-MS mass spectrometry method) and measurements of lower detectability performed with portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer EDXRF were used. The relationships between the content of trace elements and the total organic carbon content TOC were found for such elements as: V, Cu, U, Ni, Mo, Cr (ICP-MS) and V, Cu , Cr and Ni (XRF). Mathematical models allowing for TOC quantification based on trace elements, characterized by determination coefficients R2 from 0.84 to 0.92 (for ICP MS method) and from 0.75 to 0.78 (for XRF method) were obtained with the use of the multiple regression method. The mathematical models allow to calculate the content of organic matter TOC for Silurian black shales on the basis of trace element data obtained by both mass spectrometry ICP-MS and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry EDXRF. The possibility of using measurements made with a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer is particularly important. Such measurements are fast and can be carried out on cuttings during the drilling process. Models based on XRF results therefore allow for quick modelling of the TOC content during the drilling process.