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Wet-Combustion Apparatus and Procedure for Organic and Inorganic Carbon in Soil¹

ABSTRACT

A quantitative wet-combustion method for determining organic carbon in soils is described which employs a simple apparatus and a rapid procedure of analysis. All units of the purifying system are mounted on a compact panel which facilitates assembly and storage of the equipment.

Evolved CO₂ in a carrier stream is passed successively through traps containing KI, Ag₂SO₄, concentrated H₂SO₄, zinc and anhydrone, after which the CO₂ is absorbed on Mikohbite in a Nesbitt bulb and determined by weighing. The method determines total (organic plus inorganic) carbon unless any carbonates present in calcareous soils are previously destroyed. A rapid pretreatment for removing carbonates is described which permits the direct determination of organic carbon.

The method works satisfactorily on saline soils containing high concentrations of Cl salts and also on extracts that can be evaporated to dryness such as Na-dispersed organic matter extracts.

¹ A contribution of the U. S. Salinity Laboratory, Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, ARS, USDA, Riverside, Calif., in cooperation with the 17 Western States and Hawaii.

² Soil Scientist, U. S. Salinity Laboratory, Riverside, Calif. The author is indebted to Merlin E. Lacy for valuable assistance in this study.

Received for publication May 26, 1959. Accepted for publication July 24, 1959.

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