Water-soluble organic acids in cryomorphic peat soils of the southeastern Bol’shezemel’skaya tundra

Abstract

The composition of the water extracts, the pH, and the weight concentrations of the total organic carbon and low-molecular-weight organic acids in seasonally thawed and perennially frozen horizons of cryomorphic peat soils have been determined. The quantitative analysis of the acids converted to trimethylsilyl derivatives has been performed by gas chromatography and chromato-mass spectroscopy. Hydroxypropanoic, propanoic, and hydroxyethanoic acids are the prevailing acids (30–50, 10–20, and 10% of the total acids, respectively). Malic, glyceric, hexadionic, trihydroxybutanoic, ribonic, and other acids have also been detected. It has been shown that the differences in the genesis of the peat deposits significantly affect the composition and content of water-soluble organic compounds in soils on the soil-profile and landscape levels.