SIMPLE MICROWAVE DIGESTION TECHNIQUE FOR ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF MINERAL SOIL SAMPLES

A new, rapid, and inexpensive method is described for digestion and dissolution of mineral soil and clay samples for determination of total elemental abundance. Standard soil samples were dissolved using HF and HNO3 in 60 mL Teflon bombs. Dissolution was complete after 7 min using a household microwave oven operating at 350 W. Addition of H3BO3 stabilized the digests against loss of silicon. Precise and accurate results were obtained for digests analyzed by inductively coupled plasms atomic emission spectrometry for total content of Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K, and Mn.