Elsevier

Pedosphere

Volume 20, Issue 1, February 2010, Pages 120-128
Pedosphere

Characterization of Glycerol-Extractable Organic Matter from Etna Soils of Different Ages

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(09)60291-5Get rights and content

Abstract

We characterized humic acids (HAs) and glycerol-extractable organic fractions (GEOFs) extracted from four Andisols, taken from comparable soil-climate conditions on the east side of Mount Etna. The soils were formed on old lava (about 9 000 years ago), old tephra (about 8 700 years ago), recent lava (about 2 600 years ago) and recent tephra (about 3 600 years ago). A part of the organic matter of the soils, deprived of HAs and fulvic acids (FAs), was isolated by glycerol extraction. The GEOF can not be extracted with alkaline solutions, probably because it is closely bound to the mineral component of the soil. The characterization of the extracted organic fraction was carried out using elementary and functional group analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. About 20 extractions were necessary to extract the HA and FA from the older soils and about 10 extractions to extract them from the younger soils. Data showed that the GEOFs had a greater ash content and a smaller N content, as well as a greater presence of aliphatic compounds and carboxylic groups as compared to the HA extracted from the same soil. The GEOFs extracted from younger soils also had a lower yield, ash and COOH-group content, and were more aliphatic than the GEOF extracted from older soils. Finally, the GEOFs were more closely bound to the amorphous component of the soil ('short-range' minerals) and consequently less subject to biodegradation.

References (39)

  • J.P. Gustafsson et al.

    Mineralogy of poorly crystalline aluminium phases in the B horizon of Podzols in southern Sweden

    Appl. Geochem.

    (1999)
  • C. Largeau et al.

    Pyrolysis of immature Torbanite and of the resistant biopolymer (PRB A) isolated from extant alga Botryococcus braunii. Mechanism of formation and structure of Torbanite

    Org. Geochem.

    (1986)
  • P. Leinweber et al.

    Composition, stability and turnover of soil organic matter: investigations by off-line pyrolysis and direct pyrolysis-mass spectrometry

    J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol.

    (1995)
  • E. Montarges-Pelletier et al.

    Synthetic allophane-like particles: textural properties

    Colloid. Surface. A.

    (2005)
  • J.D. Russell et al.

    An IR spectroscopic study of soil humin and its relationship to other soil humic substances and fungal pigments

    Geoderma.

    (1983)
  • W. Zech et al.

    Factors controlling humification and mineralization of soil organic matter in the tropics

    Geoderma.

    (1997)
  • T. Abe et al.

    Temporal changes in distribution and composition of N from labeled fertilizer in soil organic matter fractions

    Biol. Fert. Soils.

    (2007)
  • T. Abe et al.

    X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of nitrogen functional groups in soil humic acids

    Soil Sci.

    (2004)
  • I. Basile-Doelsch et al.

    Mineralogical control of organic carbon dynamics in a volcanic ash soil on La Réunion

    Eur. J. Soil Sci.

    (2005)
  • Cited by (2)

    • Development and spatial distribution of soils on an active volcano: Mt Etna, Sicily

      2016, Catena
      Citation Excerpt :

      Stabilisation of organic matter was related to pyrophosphate-extractable Al and Fe phases, kaolinite and clay content, rather than to imogolite-type material. Baglieri et al. (2010) find, however, that glycerol-extractable soil organic fractions were closely bound to SROMS, particularly in older (> 9000 yr) soils (Udivitrands), and consequently less subject to biodegradation. From their first analysis of five Vitric Andosols (IUSS Working Group WRB, 2006) in an elevation sequence (551 to 1772 m) on 10,000 to 15,000 yr BP lava, on the north-east flank of Mt Etna, Egli et al. (2007) conclude that organic C stocks, (and imogolite-type minerals and crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxides) decreased with elevation.

    Project supported by the Research Foundation of University of Catania, Italy (No. ORCT067410/2006).

    View full text