Non-destructive Analytical Technique for Geological Samples with the Estimation of Residual Components Including Organic Compound

Abstract

Quantitative analysis of geological samples is of particular importance because it allows to identify the presence of specific elements within samples. These represent: types of minerals, soil, and sediments. Furthermore, it enables to determine the origin, age, and possible geological events that may have contributed to the formation of samples. At the same time, quantitative analysis of geological samples presents challenges. Analysis of samples contains organic matter that includes hydrogen, carbon and oxygen, including water produced by a process of fermentation of plants, insects and the metabolism of micro-organisms. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Analysis (EDXRF) cannot detect these light elements easily. In this study, we experimented with a new application that combined Raman Spectroscopy and XRF. Raman spectroscopy makes it possible to discover organic components and identify the matrix of each sample without destroying samples. Being able to specify different types of chemical components in the sample using Raman spectroscopy during the calculation of Fundamental Parameter Method (FPM), we were able to determine the sample composition with minor fluctuations that occur due to the presence of organic matter.