Porównanie wyników analiz zawartości części organicznych w iłach mioplioceńskich z podłoża stacji Centrum Nauki Kopernik II linii metra w Warszawie

The paper attempts to answer the question which method provides an accurate assessment of organic matter content in the study of Mio-Pliocene clay. Samples were taken from the excavation of Copernicus Science Centre metro station. The soil was tested by three most common techniques: ignition loss method, reaction with hydrogen peroxide, and Tiurin method. Furthermore, thermal method (DTA) was used as a complex method for mineral composition (including organic matter) verification. Results of Tiurin and DTA methods provided information about the residual presence of organic matter in the Mio-Pliocene clay. Nonetheless, because of their simplicity, the commonly used methods are ignition loss and reaction with hydrogen peroxide. The results of ignition loss method were ~7 times higher than those of the other methods. The reaction with hydrogen peroxide method, revealed a negative result ~ –0.89%, due to oxidation of iron and hydration of its compounds. Based on these observations, it can be concluded that the Tiurin method is the recommended technique for the assessment of organic matter content in cohesive soils. However, for studies requiring high accuracy and reliability, the thermal method is recommended. It is important to pay special attention in organic matter evaluation particularly for commercial projects, because organic matter evaluation can result in a large increase in the cost of investment.