ABSTRACT
The use of solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to examine the
nature of soil organic matter (SOM) has gained popularity over the past two decades because
it provides information regarding the chemical nature and relative quantities of carbon (C)
structures (Preston 1996; Ko¨gel-Knabner 2000; Preston 2001). The knowledge gained from
solid-state 13C NMR has expanded our understanding of SOM structure and is unparalleled
in comparison to other techniques because it enables the nondestructive analysis of whole
soil samples. Analysis of SOM by solid-state 13C NMR provides information regarding the
relative quantities of unsubstituted and substituted aliphatic, aromatic, phenolic, carboxylic,
and carbonyl C. In addition, only small quantities of sample are needed (100-500 mg of
sample depending on the type of NMR probe) to perform the analysis.
