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A PYROLYSIS‐GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY METHOD FOR DISCRIMINATION OF SOIL HUMUS TYPES
Author(s) -
BRACEWELL J. M.,
ROBERTSON G. W.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1976.tb01990.x
Subject(s) - humus , chemistry , pyrolysis , gas chromatography , podzol , furfural , soil water , environmental chemistry , lignin , phenols , organic chemistry , environmental science , soil science , chromatography , catalysis
Summary Principles governing the choice of a pyrolysis‐gas chromatography method for work on soils and organic macromolecules are reviewed, and the method is applied to the discrimination of mull and mor humus in freely drained soils. Relatively undecomposed surface humus shorizons yield pyrolysis products characteristic of lignin, but these are not present in mineral horizons apart from traces persisting in some podzol A horizons. Mor humus incorporated in A horizons is characterized by a high pyrolysate content of furfurals and phenols whilst mull humus yields proportionately more pyrrole. Humus in B horizons yields a low furfural content with respect to pyrrole and a low content of polar heteroatomic molecules with respect to benzene, toluene, and light molecules of low polarity.