Laboratory Analysis
Preparing Samples for Other Lab Analyses
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| 1. Put the #10 sieve (2 mm openings) on a large piece of paper and pour one sample into the sieve. Put on rubber gloves so the acids in your skin don't contaminate the soil pH measurement. |
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| 2. Carefully push the dried soil material through the mesh onto the paper. Be careful not to bend the wire mesh by forcing the soil through. Remove the rocks (and other pieces of debris) that stay on top of the sieve and discard. Save the sieved soil from each sample for the other lab analyses. |
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Note: If no sieve is available, carefully remove the rocks by hand. |
| 3. Transfer the rock-free, dry soil from the paper under the sieve into new, clean, dry plastic bags or containers. Seal the containers, and label them the same way that they were labeled in the field (horizon number, top and bottom depth, date, site name, site location, etc.). This is the soil that will be used for the other lab analyses. |
On the label, include: Site name, Sample number, Horizon number, Top depth, Bottom depth, Date
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| 4. Store these samples in a safe, dry place until they are used. |
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