Advances in analytical pyrolysis of soil organic matter

Abstract

This review summarizes advances in soil organic matter (SOM) research obtained by applications of analytical pyrolysis. Conventional pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) was used to investigate a wide range of plant materials and humic substances. Much fewer investigations of whole soils were reported. On the basis of pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS) and complementary chemical, physical and biological analyses, progress was achieved in the discovery of relationships between: (1) organic precursors and SOM composition, (2) geographic origin and SOM, and (3) specific SOM constituents and soil functions, e.g. unknown soil N, dissolved organic matter (DOM), particle-size, density and aggregate fractions. Hence it can be concluded that analytical pyrolysis has been developed as a key method for SOM and DOM research and will expand into urgent problems of environmental chemistry with topics such as soil and groundwater contamination, soil amelioration, sustainable agriculture, etc., and, last but not least, the fundamental objectives of soil structure, processes and quality.