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Soil Sample and Filter Funnel
Name: Ron
Status: other
Grade: other
Location: WI
Country: USA
Date: N/A
Question:
This is more a procedure question! I am preparing samples for
some soil tests. The procedure is to mix a soil sample with an
extraction solution which is 3% acetic acid and 10% sodium acetate then
filter out the solids.
The procedure calls for the use of a filter funnel and gravity. Is
there any significant downside to using a Büchner funnel (same filter
paper)with an aspirator or even using a centrifuge to reduce process
time?
Replies:
A vacuum filter with a Buchner funnel is probably the preferred method, with
the possible exception of the centrifuge if you have one available. Your
intuition that minimizing time is on target.
Vince Calder
Ron,
I do not know of any data that says your
analysis will be any different if you use a
Buchner funnel with an aspirator as opposed to a
gravity filtration. There are, of course,
certain techniques (wetting the Buchner filter,
applying vacuum before filtering, disconnecting
the aspirator before turning it off, etc) that
make Buchner filtration more effective, and
there are issues that are of concern with
Buchner filtration (doing a rinse before the
cake cracks, clogging of the filter paper,
etc.), but keeping all these in mind, I think
the technique should work equally well and be faster to boot.
Greg (Roberto Gregorius)
Canisius College
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Update: June 2012
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