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Clay Separation and Identification by a Density Gradient Procedure
Author(s) -
Woolson E. A.,
Axley J. H.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1969.03615995003300010016x
Subject(s) - saturation (graph theory) , density gradient , mineralogy , clay minerals , separation (statistics) , bulk density , geology , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , soil science , mathematics , soil water , statistics , oceanography , combinatorics
A method was developed for the separation and partial identification of clays using a heavy liquid density gradient column. The columns consisted of five different layers, theoretically permitting seven different separations in one determination. To aid in separation, the original density of the clay was altered by saturation with H, Ca, K, or Cs. The resulting densities were related to changes in the clay interlayer distance as well as to the equivalent weight of the sorbed cations. This density gradient method is simple, quick, and requires only basic laboratory equipment. The density values aid clay mineral identification and in some instances may be the only information needed.