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Soil Organic Matter: I. Electrophoretic Separation of Acid‐Resistant Components
Author(s) -
Johnston Harry H.
Publication year - 1959
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1959.03615995002300040019x
Subject(s) - loam , soil water , chemistry , organic matter , silt , electrophoresis , fraction (chemistry) , infrared , infrared spectroscopy , environmental chemistry , chromatography , soil science , organic chemistry , geology , paleontology , physics , optics
Abstract Two acid‐resistant fractions were isolated from three soils, a Sims clay loam, a Houston Black clay, and a Xenia silt loam. The fractions were separated by paper electrophoresis and analyzed for functional groups by infrared spectra. One component was a dark‐colored nonfluorescent material and the other a yellow fluorescent water‐soluble material. Chemical analysis of the darker humic acid obtained from the Xenia silt loam gave the following results: C, 52.48%; O, 38.38%; H, 4.65%; N, 1.98%. This material was found to contain 6.7% methoxy groups. Infrared spectra of the two fractions showed them having a different structure, but both materials were throught to contain hydroxyl and carbonyl groups. The N content of the dark‐colored fraction separated by electrophoresis was 1.98% for the Xenia and Sims soils and 1.79% for the Houston soil. Because of the similarity of these materials in infrared spectra and N content, it is believed that these acids are of fundamental importance in the structure of soil organic matter.