Programmed Pyrolysis
Heating soil under a programmed temperature ramp can teach us about the thermal stability of soil organic matter. This approach offers a proxy for biological stability and integrates chemical and physical stabilization mechanisms of soil organic matter. We now have the capacity to perform Evolved Gas Analysis here in our lab at the University of Guelph.
Soil Infrared Spectroscopy
Mid-infrared (FTIR) soil spectroscopy is used in combination with chemometrics data analysis to rapidly predict soil property data. This greatly increases throughput and reduces cost for end users of soil data by employing the High Throughput Sampler (HTS-XT, right side of spectrometer below) to automate DRIFT (Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform) analysis.
Infrared spectroscopy also is used to characterize functional group chemistry of soils organic matter and minerals.
Synchrotron and NMR-based spectroscopy
We employ spectroscopic techniques that identify different forms of carbon and nitrogen present in soils. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques are powerful in their ability to disentangle the chemical composition of soils. We work at the Canadian Light Source and the Advanced Analysis Center.
Soil Structure by X-ray Computed Tomography
The soil habitat is very important for soil function, yet it is quite challenging to visualize it. X-ray computed tomography can be used to see through soils and build 3-D models of soil porosity, pore connections and particle shapes. We employ this technique along with chemical characterization to link changes in soil structure with organic matter content and composition.