Application of Mineral Analysis in Mangrove Wetland Soils

KeyWord:mangrove wetland  soil minerals  X ray diffraction(XRD)  fourier transform infrared(FTIR)  scanning electron microscope(SEM)

Abstract:

      In this study,the typical mangrove wetland soils from the Nanhaidi of Zhanjiang Bay were investigated to discuss the special habitat characteristics of mangrove wetland soil.The minerals in the soils were identified by Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) and X ray diffraction(XRD),and the morphological characteristics of soil particles were observed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) to obtain the chemical components.The soil samples from nearby mudflats were also collected for comparative study.Results showed that the mineral components in mangrove wetlands soils were mainly composed of kaolinite,quartz,muscovite,halloysite,diamond and serpentine,more diverse than those in mudflats soils which simply contained quartz and kaolinite.The morphologies of soil particles in mangrove wetland emerged in schistose aggregates,and the main elements were C,O,S,Al,Si,Mg and Fe,etc.Heavy metal elements such as Cu,Zn,Mo were commonly found in the soil particles of mangrove wetland.The mangrove wetland soil was also abundant in sulfide.However,the above characteristics were not found in the mudflats soil,which indicated that the mangrove wetland was in a special ecological environment,and its soil sediment was rich in organic matter,Fe and S,etc.Thus,it was more favorable for the enrichment of sulfides or heavy metals than mudflats.