Phenols in rice soils

In a laboratory study on the distribution of phenols in rice soils, a humus-rich acid sulphate soil liberated more alkali-extractable phenols than an alluvial soil under both flooded and nonflooded conditions. Nonflooded conditions appeared to favour the release of phenols from the acid sulphate soil whereas in the alluvial soil no difference was apparent under the two water regimes. The addition of calcium carbonate to the acid sulphate soil further increased the production of phenols. Analysis of the solvent extract of the soils by thin-layer chromatography showed that both the soils contained vanillic acid and two unidentified phenols.