Combining X-ray CT and SEM-EDX to characterize soil micro-sites

In recent years it has become increasingly apparent that we need novel microanalytical techniques to compliment well established methods that study soils at macro-spatial scales. The development of technologies that operate at microscopic scales is challenging and often required specialised knowledge. In this paper we develop and describe methods that enable integration of a 3-D non-invasive technique to characterise soil structure (X-ray CT) with a 2-D spectroscopic method that characterises the spatial distribution of chemical elements on surfaces (SEM-EDX). We demonstrate that selected compounds can be quantified with SEM-EDX and subsequently visualized within the 3-D soil environment. We discuss the possibilities and problems that need to be resolved to combine these methods.