Soil particulate organic matter

The book "Soil Particulate Organic Matter" by Madhavi Parajuli provides a comprehensive examination of organic matter in soil and its decomposition. It emphasizes the importance of locating organic matter within the soil matrix to gain a better understanding of soil structure. The study employs X-ray computed tomography, a non-invasive technique, to analyze the undisturbed 3D pore structure of the soil. A central aim of the research was to identify suitable dyes that target organic matter (OM) without affecting the mineral particles. By preparing artificial mixtures of mineral materials and organic matter, the groundwork was laid for the application of various dyes. The results show that certain dyes, particularly phosphomolybdic acid and lead nitrate, are promising for staining organic matter particles in soils with coarse silt. These findings contribute to improving the understanding of carbon mineralization in soil, especially with the addition of organic substrates.