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Tracking soil transport to sugarcane industry using neutron activation analysis

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Abstract

Soil as mineral impurity in sugarcane loads impacts the Brazilian sugar-ethanol industry with rising production and maintenance costs as well as decreased productivity. The mechanical harvesting of sugarcane was conceived as a technology with potential to increase the raw material quality thereby has been gradually replacing manual harvesting throughout the country. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was applied for determination of soil tracers in order to compare the performance of both harvesting systems in terms of mineral impurities. There were no significant differences in the amount of soil transported to sugarcane industry despite the technological progress aggregated to mechanical harvesting. However, for both harvesting systems there were significant differences on the amount of such mineral impurity between clay and sandy soils.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are very grateful to technicians and operators of the Usina Iracema, Grupo São Martinho, for their invaluable collaboration in sampling and technological analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Energy Center for Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Avenida Centenário 303, Piracicaba, 13416-000, Brazil

    E. A. De Nadai Fernandes, M. A. Bacchi, J. C. Marson, C. Sbrana & E. S. B. Ferraz

  2. Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Avenida Pádua Dias 11, Piracicaba, 13418-000, Brazil

    G. A. Sarriés

Authors
  1. E. A. De Nadai Fernandes
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  2. M. A. Bacchi
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  3. G. A. Sarriés
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  4. J. C. Marson
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  5. C. Sbrana
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  6. E. S. B. Ferraz
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Correspondence to E. A. De Nadai Fernandes.

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De Nadai Fernandes, E.A., Bacchi, M.A., Sarriés, G.A. et al. Tracking soil transport to sugarcane industry using neutron activation analysis. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 297, 303–307 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-2416-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-2416-4

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