Hi! I'm looking for a way to measure individually the density of small (1-20 mm-diameter) shell fragments individually. The shells have a complex microstructure with variable density throughout the shell (+- 300 kg/m3 difference between different regions), this is why it would be convenient to do individual measurements rather than bulk measurements (e.g. in a pycnometer).
I'm wondering if there's a methodology for this that's precise and not too time-consuming (as a large number of shell fragments should be tested).
Thanks!
Maria
Recently, I saw a work that graphically shows the share of a particular group of zooplankton in the total sample, because the difference between one sample and another is so large that the author drew the axis on a logarithmic scale. It can be done.
Just an idea... What if you could separate the grains in groups of the same density and then measure the densities of the different groups? Separation could be done putting al the small pieces in water and put them a centrifuge; the grains with the lowest density will be thrown out first. It's the trick of the gold diggers: put a shovel of mud from a river in a pan, add some water and gently turn it around while stirring now and then, and finally the heaviest particles (iron oxide and gold) will stay on the bottom. Worth trying???
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