Electrophoretic and spectroscopic characterization of high molecular weight components of soil organic matter

Abstract Extracts of soil organic matter solubilized by water and 0.1 M Na 4 P 2 O 7 were dialysed and subjected to continuous flow paper electrophoresis. The water extract contained four polysaccharide components of different uronic acid content. The pyrophosphate extract contained three electrophoretically separable components—two polysaccharide components in low concentration and a main brown-coloured component. Infra-red absorption spectra indicated that fractions having high electrophoretic mobility contained more hydrogen-bonded NH groups and COO − groups and fewer OH and C—H groups than fractions of low electrophoretic mobility. Clay contaminants of organic matter preparations were effectively removed by treatment with an HF:HCl mixture.