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Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of Soil Humic Fractions: I. The Low Boiling Point Compounds¹

ABSTRACT

Pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry studies of fulvic and humic acids from different soils: Calcic Rhodoxeralf, Typic Xerochrept, Typic Chromoxeret, Andic Hapludult, Humic Haplorthod, Typic Haplorthod and a Canadian Orthic Humo-Ferric Podzol were made. Samples were pyrolyzed at 700°C for 10 sec, and low boiling point compounds were separated in a Chromosorb 102 column. Peaks were identified with a mass spectrometer coupled to the gas chromatograph. Major components from soil humic acids were related to proteins, namely methane, ethene, ethane, propene, propane, butene, acetonitrile, benzene, pyridine, pyrrol, toluene, and phenol, and to polysaccharides, such as acetaldehyde, acetone, furan, methylfuran, 2-butanone, and furfural. Soil fulvic acids gave pyrograms with major peaks of methane, ethene, acetaldehyde, acetone, furan, acetic acid, 2-butanone, benzene, toluene, and furfural, which are characteristic for soil polysaccharides. Bromomethane, an unusual compound, was found in the humic fractions from podzolic soils.

¹ Contribution from the Centro de Edafologia y Biologia Aplicada del Cuarto, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Apartado 1052, Sevilla, Spain, and the Instituto Territorial del Servicio Social de Higieney Seguridad del Trabajo, Apartado 615, Sevilla, Spain.

² Soil Biochemists and Environmental Chemist, respectively.

Received for publication June 3, 1977. Accepted for publication August 1, 1977.