There is a growing need for faster and more accurate analysis methods to meet the rising demand for soil analysis, including the determination of soil organic carbon for sustainable crop production. Alex Njugi Wangeci assessed the prediction accuracy of LIBS on soils covering Denmark and the wider European region for the prediction of soil properties including soil organic carbon, texture, and phosphorus, among others. He also studied the performance of LIBS relative to other spectroscopic techniques such as visible near-infrared spectroscopy for predicting soil properties.

The new research findings contribute to a better understanding of the application of LIBS for a wide range of soil properties, soil types, and geological origin.

The PhD study was completed at the Department of Agroecology, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: week 43, 25 October 2024 at 10:00
Place: 1st floor, Agro Business Park, Niels Pedersens Alle 2, 8830 Tjele.
Title of PhD thesis: Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy as new and improved reference method for analysis of key soil properties
Contact information: Alex Njugi Wangeci, e-mail: aw@agro.au.dk, tel.: +45 52705171
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Bruno Bousquet, Institute of Technology, University of Bordeaux, France
Head of Data Science Ramirez-Lopez Leonardo, BÜCHI Labortechnik, Flawil, Switzerland
Senior Researcher Anne Grete Kongsted (chair), Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor:
Professor Mogens Humlekrog Greve, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor:
Dr. Maria Knadel, GeoPark Vestjylland, Denmark
Dr. Daniel Adén, FOSS Analytical A/S, Denmark
Dr. Thomas Nikolajsen, Terma, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.