CHARACTERIZATION AND QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOIL SAMPLES BY THE ANALYTICAL METHOD OF X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRY: CASE OF THE AGRICULTURAL SITE OF NIAKHENE-SENEGAL

As part of the study of soil fertility, the concentrations of iron, calcium, manganese, and potassium were measured using X-ray fluorescence technique at both the agricultural site and the reference site. The abundances of these elements were calculated for depths of 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm by determining the differences between the contents of the agricultural site and the reference site. Using ArcGIS 10.3 software, the spatial distribution of the calculated differences in mineral elements was mapped. For depths of 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm, variations in iron, calcium, potassium, and manganese were frequently observed across the entire surface of the agricultural site. Notably, there were significant losses of iron, potassium, and manganese at specific points on the surface (0-20 cm), amounting to 403.54 ppm, 81.44 ppm, 176 ppm, 383 ppm, 323 ppm, 103 ppm, and 132 ppm, respectively. Similarly, at the depth of 20-40 cm, losses were observed, with values of 265.77 ppm, 11.26 ppm, 52.55 ppm, 129.11 ppm, 4.55 ppm, 103.88 ppm, 156.28 ppm, 357.03 ppm, and 4.55 ppm at certain locations on the site.