Major- and trace-element concentrations in soils from two continental-scale transects of the United States and Canada
This report contains major- and trace-element concentration data for soil samples collected from 265 sites along two continental-scale transects in North America. One of the transects extends from northern Manitoba to the United States-Mexico border near El Paso, Tex. and consists of 105 sites. The other transect approximately follows the 38th parallel from the Pacific coast of the United States near San Francisco, Calif., to the Atlantic coast along the Maryland shore and consists of 160 sites. Sampling sites were defined by first dividing each transect into approximately 40-km segments. For each segment, a 1-km-wide latitudinal strip was randomly selected; within each strip, a potential sample site was selected from the most representative landscape within the most common soil type. At one in four sites, duplicate samples were collected 10 meters apart to estimate local spatial variability. At each site, up to four separate soil samples were collected as follows: (1) material from 0-5 cm depth; (2) O horizon, if present; (3) a composite of the A horizon; and (4) C horizon. Each sample collected was analyzed for total major- and trace-element composition by the following methods: (1) inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICPAES) for aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, calcium, cerium, cesium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, indium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, phosphorus, potassium, rubidium, scandium, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, tellurium, thallium, thorium, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, yttrium, and zinc; (2) cold vapor- atomic absorption spectrometry for mercury; (3) hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry for antimony and selenium; (4) coulometric titration for carbonate carbon; and (5) combustion for total carbon and total sulfur.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Title | Major- and trace-element concentrations in soils from two continental-scale transects of the United States and Canada |
| DOI | 10.3133/ofr20051253 |
| Authors | David B. Smith, William F. Cannon, Laurel G. Woodruff, Robert G. Garrett, Rodney Klassen, James E. Kilburn, John D. Horton, Harley D. King, Martin B. Goldhaber, Jean Morrison |
| Publication Type | Report |
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Series Title | Open-File Report |
| Series Number | 2005-1253 |
| Index ID | ofr20051253 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center; Minnesota Water Science Center |
Related Content
David B Smith
Scientist Emeritus
William F. Cannon
Scientist Emeritus
Laurel G. Woodruff
Research Geologist
Related Content
- Connect
David B Smith
Scientist EmeritusEmailPhoneWilliam F. Cannon
Scientist EmeritusEmailPhoneLaurel G. Woodruff
Research GeologistEmailPhone