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Studies on soil organic matter: Part I. The chemical nature of soil organic nitrogen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. M. Bremner
Affiliation:
Chemistry Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts

Extract

1. The acid hydrolysis of six soils with nitrogen contents ranging from 0·1 to 2·38% has been studied by determining the amounts of ammonia-, humin- and α-amino-N present in the soil hydrolysates after various periods of hydrolysis.

2. Under the conditions of hydrolysis employed (3 ml. of 6N-HCl/g. soil) the period required for maximum liberation of amino-acids from the soils was about 12 hr. 24·2–37·1% of the total-nitrogen of the soils examined was liberated as α-amino-N in this period. Further hydrolysis led to destruction of amino-acids. Similar amounts of α-amino-N were liberated by hydrolysis of the soils with alkali (5N-NaOH).

3. From 69 to 87% of the total-nitrogen of the soils was brought into solution by acid hydrolysis; the amount dissolved by hydrolysing with alkali or with alkali under reducing conditions (alkalistannite) was not significantly different. It is concluded that most of the insoluble-nitrogen found after acid hydrolysis is not derived from protein material, and it is suggested that some of this nitrogen is in the form of heterocyclic nitrogen compounds.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1949

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