Elucidating the chemical structure of pyrogenic organic matter by combining magnetic resonance, mid-infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry

Fire-derived organic matter (pyrogenic organic matter, or PyOM), despite its apparent long term stability in the environment, has recently been reported to degrade faster than previously thought. Current studies have suggested that the composition and structure of PyOM can provide new insights on the mechanisms by which C and N from pyrolyzed biomaterials are stabilized in soils. To better understand the chemical structure of PyOM produced under typical fire conditions in temperate forests, samples of dual-enriched ( 13 C/ 15 N) Pinus ponderosa wood and the charred material produced at 450 C were analyzed by solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (DRIFT) spectroscopy, and both isotopic and elemental composition (C, H, O, and N). Notably, the use of high magnetic field strengths in combination with isotopic enrichment augmented the NMR detection sensitivity, and thus improved the quality of molecular information as compared with previously reported studies of pyrogenic materials. The key molecular groups of pine wood and the corresponding PyOM materials were determined using magic-angle spinning (MAS) 13 C, 15 N, and 1

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