Decarboxylation des acides amines aromatiques-1-14C par les extraits de sol

Decarboxylation of the aromatic amino acids-1-¹⁴C by soilextracts: Neutral aseptic extracts of fresh soils (NAFS Extract) from forest, meadow and cultivated soils decarboxylate dl-DOPA-l-¹⁴C; dl-tyrosine-l-¹⁴C; dl-tryptophane-l-¹⁴C and dl-phenylalanine-l-¹⁴C with relative decarboxylation rates of 100; 30; 10; 0 respectively. The decarboxylation rate of dl-DOPA-l-¹⁴C has a highly significant correlation with the concentration of mineral fraction in the NAFS Extract. This result suggests that, in soil, the enzymatic system is protected by the easily extracted soil minerals. Considering the high value of E_act. (23 kcal/mole/degree), the catalytic power of the enzymatic system associated with the NAFS Extract is low. The decarboxylation rate of dl-DOPA-l-¹⁴C is optimum under aerobic conditions at pH 7 and at 37°C.The kinetic of the reaction follows the Michaelis-Menten law with K_m = 2·1 × 10^?3 M. The nature of the enzymatic system associated with the NAFS Extract is discussed.     

Reponse de la biomasse microbienne a l'adjonction au sol de materiel vegetal marque au 14C: Role des racines vivantes

¹⁴C and ¹⁵N-labelled immature wheat straw was incubated in the laboratory for 450 days in either a sandy soil or a clay soil, under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity. One-half of the treatments were cropped 4 times in succession with spring wheat. After each harvest, the roots and shoots were removed from the soil. The remaining treatments were kept bare, without plants. After 277 days, 1% unlabelled wheat straw was again mixed with the soils. Microbial biomass was measured after 0, 25, 53, 80, 185, 318 and 430 days, using the fumigation technique. This paper presents the ¹⁴C-data.The half-life of the labelled compounds in soil was from 60 to 70 days. After 430 days about 10% more labelled C remained in bare soil than in cropped soil. Labelled biomass carbon reached its maximum before day 25. By then 50% of the biomass-C was labelled and the biomass represented 20% of the total labelled C remaining in the soils. This percentage decreased slowly to 15% after 430 days in bare sandy soil and to 17% in bare clay soil. A second incorporation of plant material, this time unlabelled, did not appreciably alter the shape of the curve representing the decrease of labelled C in biomass, expressed as % of the total remaining labelled C. Total biomass-C (labelled + unlabelled) in cropped soil was sometimes higher and sometimes lower than in bare soil. However, the labelled C/total C ratio in biomass was always lower; in cropped soils than in soils without plants, clearly showing the effect of rhizodeposition. From days 25 to 430 an increasing difference appeared between the ratio labelled C/total and C in CO₂ and the corresponding ratio labelled C/total C in biomass. In CO₂-C the ratio diminished rapidly, in biomass-C it remained at a high level, most probably indicating a lower turnover of C in resting but living microorganisms. Other explanations are also discussed. The amount of CO₂-C released mg^?1 of biomass-C was higher in cropped than in bare soil, presumably because the microorganisms were activated by the living (or dying) root system.     

14C标记秸秆碳素在老成土和变性土中的转化

Hg vertial transference in soil-water system was studied by analyzing Hg vertical ditribution in soil column after adding Hg and one of the two leacheates,deionzied water or acid rain,into soil column.The results indicated that Hg was hardly transferable in puple soil.About 86%-88% of the total soil Hg was distributed in the top layer (0-2cm) and to Hg was detected in the leakage when the purple soil column was leached by deionized water and simulated acid rain.But Hg was more movalbe in yellow soil with only about 20%-22% of the total soil Hg distributed in the top layer (0-2cm),and about 17%-25% washed out from the soil column by deionized water and simulted acid rain,Incremant in soil bulk density colud reduce Hg leaching,thus the more the Hg kept in soil,the less the Hg leached into underground water,Deionized water and acid rain almost played the same role in leaching Hg.Bentioint was most effecient in preventing Hg from vertcal transferring in the soil coulumn.     

Microbial biomass formed from 14C, 15N-labelled plant material decomposing in soils in the field

The decomposition of ¹⁴C, ¹⁴N-labelled medic (Medicago littoralis) material and the net formation and decay of isotope-labelled biomass have been measured in four South Australian soils in the field over 4 yr. The field sites were in similar climatic zones but two sites received about twice as much rainfall as the others. The soils were calcareous and of similar pH, but differed in texture and organic matter content. The decomposition of the organic-¹⁴C and organic-¹⁵N residues were, for a given site, similar. Initially, the concentrations of labelled residues decreased rapidly, then very slowly. Decomposition rates in a heavy clay soil were significantly less than in the other soils during the first 16 weeks after incorporation of plant material, but thereafter, rates of decomposition in all soils were similar, despite differences in soil texture and climate. More than 50% of the medic-¹⁴C had disappeared from all soils after 4 weeks of decomposition and only 15–20% of the medic-¹⁴C remained as organic residues after 4 yr. Of the medic-¹⁵N 60–65% remained as organic residues after 32 weeks decomposition; the percentage decreased to 45–50% after 4 yr.The amounts of ¹⁴C, ¹⁴N-labelled biomass, formed from decomposing plant material, were maximal 4–8 weeks after incorporation of plant material into the soils. In samples taken at 8 weeks from the sandy Roseworthy soil, biomass-¹⁴C and -¹⁵N accounted for 14 and 22% respectively of the total organic-¹⁴C and -¹⁵N residues present. Thereafter in this soil, the concentrations of biomass-¹⁴C and -¹⁵N decreased, rapidly at first then more slowly. Nevertheless, throughout most of the decomposition the rates of decrease in the concentrations of biomass-¹⁴C and -¹⁵N exceeded those of the non-biomass, labelled organic residues.The proportions of ¹⁴C, ¹⁵N-labelled materials accounted for in the labelled biomass varied between soils. Soils of higher clay content generally retained higher proportions of residual organic-¹⁴C and -¹⁴N in the biomass, even though the net rates of decomposition of total labelled residues did not differ significantly between soils during most of the decomposition.     

无机氮对土壤中有机碳矿化影响的探讨

采用1 4 C同位素示踪恒温密闭培养法 ,研究了秸秆和化肥配合施用体系中 ,无机氮对1 4 C秸秆碳矿化的影响 ,培养期一年。结果表明 ,在非石灰性土壤中 ,无机氮的施用促进了1 4 C秸秆碳的矿化 ,相对增加了土壤固有碳 ( 1 2 C)的固持 ,两者间的互补显示无机氮对土壤总碳矿化的影响不大 ;淹水土壤中的1 4 C秸秆碳年矿化率比旱地高 ,发现无机氮对1 4 C秸秆碳年矿化率的增加不论在旱地或水田状况是近似的。在石灰性土壤中 ,无机氮对1 4 C秸秆碳、土壤固有碳的矿化均起到抑制作用 ,没有发现无机氮对有机碳矿化的促进。对有机肥和无机肥配合施用体系中 ,化学氮肥对土壤有机碳转化影响 ,以及化学氮肥在土壤有机碳内循环中的作用功能等 ,提出了一些新的见解     

Transformation of [14C] and [35S]labeled lignosulfonates during soil incubation

[¹⁴C] and [³⁵S]labeled lignosulfonates (LS) or [¹⁴C]labeled coniferyl alcohol dehydropolymer (DHP) were aerobically incubated in soil for 17 weeks. Respiratory ¹⁴CO₂ was compared with that from DHP or that from [U¹⁴C]cellulose. Less CO₂ was released from ring and side chain carbons of LS than from DHP, though similar amounts of CO₂ were released from the methoxyl groups of both compounds. After incubation, the soil samples were exhaustively extracted with water and then with a sodium pyrophosphate-NaOH solution. The water solubility of the originally completely-soluble LS carbons was greatly decreased by incubation, and a large portion of the extracted ³⁵S was detected as sulfate. The pyrophosphate extract was separated into humic and fulvie acids. The humic acid from soils incubated with LS contained low ³⁵S activity and a similar ¹⁴C activity to that from soils incubated with DHP. The fulvic acid from the soils incubated with LS contained higher amounts of ¹⁴C (and ³⁵S) than that of the soils incubated with DHP. More side chain ¹⁴C activity than other ¹⁴C activity was found in both, the water extract and the fulvic acid from soils incubated with LS. The high ³⁵S together with the high side chain ¹⁴C activity probably indicates an elimination of the side chain carbons together with sulfonic acid groups. Anaerobic incubation of soil with LS or DHP promoted breakdown and incorporation of LS and DHP into humus much less than aerobic incubation. The possible reduction in potential pollution from lignosulfonates due to the observed transformations in soil are discussed.     

土壤水分状况对14C标记秸秆的腐解及腐殖质中碳素分布的影响

¹⁴C-tracer technique and closed incubation method were used to study straw ¹⁴C decomposition and distribution in different fractions of newly formed humus under different moisture regimes. Decomposition of straw ¹⁴C was faster during the initial days, and slower thereafter. Decay rate constants of straw ¹⁴C varied from 3.29 × 10^-3 d^-1 to 7.06 × 10^-3 d^-1. After 112 d incubation, the amount of straw ¹⁴C mineralized was 1.17~1.46 times greater in submerged soils than in upland soils. Of the soil residual ¹⁴C, 9.08%~15.73% was present in humic acid (HA) and 31.01%~37.62% in fulvic acid (FA). Submerged condition favored the formation of HA, and HA/FA ratio of newly formed humus (labelled) was greater in submerged soils than in upland soils. Clay minerals affected the distribution of straw ¹⁴C in different humus fractions. Proportion of ¹⁴C present in HA to ¹⁴C remaining in soil was greater in Vertisol than in Ultisol.     

固态13C和15N核磁共振法研究15N标记土壤的腐殖质组分

Five humic fractions were obtained from a uniformly ^15N-labelled soil by extraction with 0.1 mol L^-1 Na4P2O7,0.1mol L^-1 NaOH ,and HF/HCl-0.1 mol L^-1 NaOH,consecutively,and analyzed by ^13C and ^15N CPMAS NMR (cross polarization and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonace).Compared with those of native soils humic fractions studied as a whole contained more alkyls ,methoxyls and O-alkyls,being 27%-36%,17%-21%and 36%-40%,respectively,but fewer aromatics and carboxyls(bein 14%-20% and 13%-90%,respectively),Among those humic fractions ,the humic acid(HA)and fulvic acid(FA) extracted by 0.1 mol L^-1 Na4P2O7 contained slightly more carboxyls than corresponding humic fractions extracted by 0.1 mol L^-1 NaOH ,and the HA extacted by 0.1 mol L^-1 NaOH after treatment with HF/HCl contained the least aromatics and carboxyls.The distribution of nitrogen functional groups of soil humic fractions studied was quite similar to each other and also quite similar to that of humic fraction from native soils.More than 75% of total N in each fraction was in amide from,with 9%-13% present as aromatic and /or aliphatic amines and the remainder as heerocyclic N.     

Seasonal transfers of assimilated 14C in grassland: Plant production and turnover,soil and plant respiration

Six areas of native grassland were labelled with ¹⁴C during a growing season. Transfers from the foliage to the roots and root respiration were measured. Plant production and turnover rates were determined by sampling the labelled material at different periods following exposure to ¹⁴CO₂.Above to beneath ground plant production ratios ranged between 1.1 and 1.9 with maximal translocation to the roots occurring during the drier summer months. The distribution of the photosynthates in the roots at different depths changed with time and soil moisture content. The upper part of the soil (0–10 cm) contained 49–77% of the labelled C found beneath the soil surface. Measurement of transfers with time of the above ground labelled C from living to dead plant and litter categories gave an insight into foliage dynamics and made it possible to estimate the seasonal shoot production at 130g Cm^?2 (1300kg ha^?1). Root growth represented 100g Cm^?2 (1000 kg ha^?1).Calculations of root and soil respiration were based on the CO₂ profiles in the soil. The fluxes of labelled and unlabelled CO₂ at the soil surface were estimated using the diffusion equation method. Respiration by roots and closely associated soil organisms accounted for 12 per cent of the net assimilation of CO₂ by the plants. This proportion was constant throughout the season and represented 19 per cent of the total CO₂ evolved at the soil surface.     

Decomposition of 14C- and 15N-labelled microbial cells in soil

To obtain detailed information on the quantities and characteristics of nitrogen derived from mineralizing dead microbial biomass in soil, ¹⁴C- and ¹⁵N-labelled microorganisms, i.e. three eukaryotic (fungal) species, two prokaryotic species or their mixture (eukaryotic to prokaryotic cells = 8:2), were grown in vitro, dried, ground and added to parabrown earth and chernozem soils, respectively. The mean percent of ¹⁴C decomposition of labelled microorganisms obtained after 10 days was 43 ± 6.3% for parabrown earth and 34 ± 4.0% for chernozem soil. About 50% of the C in the dead microorganisms was mineralized during the first 28 days of incubation. About 76% of the flush of soil organic N mineralization within 28 days, which was caused by the drying-rewetting treatment, was derived from dead microbial biomass in soil. About 33% of the added dead microbial-¹⁵N was mineralized in parabrown earth soil during 28 days of incubation and about 37% of newly immobilized ¹⁵N during the decomposition of added microorganisms was mineralized during the 28 days following a dryingrewetting treatment.     

肯尼亚水稻土和甘蔗地土壤中~(14)C-六氯苯和~(14)C-滴滴涕的自然消解

氯代持久性有机污染物的农田土壤污染呈现污染浓度低、面积大、新源污染不断输入的特点。农田土壤本身微生物种类丰富,对氯代有机污染物具有较大的降解潜力和未知性。本试验以典型高氯代和低氯代持久性有机污染物——六氯苯(HCB)和滴滴涕(DDT)为研究对象,结合~(14)C同位素示踪技术,研究HCB和DDT在热带水稻土和甘蔗地土壤的矿化现象,同时监测HCB和DDT在两种土壤中的挥发、降解产物以及结合残留。结果表明,经84 d好氧培养,HCB和DDT在两种土壤中的矿化量分别仅为0.14%和3%,低氯代有机污染物DDT的矿化速率显著高于高氯代有机污染物HCB。然而,两种土壤对HCB或DDT的矿化没有显著性差异。HCB或DDT在水稻土中的挥发量略微高于甘蔗地土壤,两种土壤中HCB和DDT的挥发量在0.1%~0.6%之间,表明挥发不是其主要的环境过程。在DDT污染水稻土和甘蔗地土壤中添加1.25%的堆肥增加了DDT在土壤中的矿化与结合残留,减少了DDT的挥发。本研究结果表明土壤在好氧条件下对氯代持久性有机污染物的自然消解能力非常弱,而有机肥的使用有助于土壤中持久性氯代有机污染物的矿化消除。     

Mineralisation dans le sol de materiaux microbiens marques au carbone 14 et a l'azote 15: Quantification de l'azote de la biomasse microbienne

The mineralization of microbial material of different C-to-N ratios (5.2, 7.9, 10.2, 12.7) was followed in fumigated soil. The microbial materials used were from Aspergillus flavus cultures, grown in liquid media and labelled with [¹⁴C]glucose and (¹⁵NN4)3804. Three contrasting soils were used and the microbial materials incubated with the fumigated soils for 28 days at 28°C.The evolution of the added organic microbial C was fast: 80% of the [¹⁴C]CO₂ produced during the whole 28 days incubation was evolved in the first week. Microbial C mineralization was mainly related to soil type; the C-to-N ratio had small effect on the ratio (mineralized microbial carbon-to-added microbial carbon). Calculation of the K_c- coefficient (the fraction of the added microbial C mineralized in 7 days) shows that K_c values lie between 0.38 and 0.43 in the 3 soils.Organic N in the added microbial material also breaks down quickly: between 60 and 100% of the organic nitrogen mineralized was evolved during the first week of incubation. Mineralization kinetics are related to soil type and to the C-to-N ratio of the microbial material.The proportion of N mineralized in 7 days was lower in an acid soil than in near neutral soils and lower with high C-to-N ratio material than with low C-to-N ratio material. The ratio (mineralized microbial N-to-added microbial N) depends on soil type and is negatively correlated with the C-to-N ratio of the microbial material. The K_N value (the fraction of the added microbial N mineralized in 7 days) lies between 0.22 and 0.47 for the three soils and four materials investigated. The added microbial material induced a priming effect on soil native N: materials with C-to-N ratios of 10.2 and 12.7 produced negative priming effects whereas materials with C-to-N ratios of 5.2 and 7.9 sometimes produced a positive priming action.From the relationship between the C-to-N ratio of the added material and the (mineralized microbial C-to-mineralized microbial N) ratio, the soil native microbial biomass was estimated using the fiush-C-to-flush-N ratio. Biomass nitrogen was then calculated from the formula biomass-N = biomassC/(biomass C-to-N ratio). Calculated in this way, 2–4% of the total nitrogen in the three soils was in microbial biomass.     

植物富集~(13)C标记技术的初步研究

<正>稳定同位素13C技术已被广泛用于研究土壤有机碳的周转[1-3]。13C技术可分为自然标记和人工标记两种[4-5]。13C自然标记方法研究土壤碳周转一般用于田间原位试验,要求有C3和C4植物的更替,且要有准确的更替时间。而室内培育实验利用这一方法则需加入较高的外源碳才能使δ13C值有较明     

Metabolism of 14C uniformly labeled organic material by woodlice [Isopoda: Oniscoidea] and soil microorganisms

Uniformly labeled ¹⁴C-yeast was fed to woodlice and soil microorganisms together and independently. Mineralization was more rapid and extensive in treatments in which both groups were present. Two days after a single feed of the labeled yeast to freshly-collected or wood-reared animals, approximately 12 per cent of the ¹⁴C had been respired, 28 per cent excreted, 44 per cent assimilated, and 15 per cent unaccounted for. Yeast-reared animals were 6.6 per cent less efficient in assimilating the labeled food. After 26 days, maintenance consumption had resulted in dissipation of 65.8 per cent of the assimilated label, with almost 90 per cent of this amount eliminated as CO₂ and 10 per cent excreted. The elimination rate dropped from 6.8 per cent of the assimilated label per day to 0.6 per cent over the 1 month period following the single feeding of ¹⁴C. Three-quarters of the labeled faecal material excreted by the woodlice was mineralized by the soil microogranisms within 1 month; however, the rate of degradation of the faeces was significantly slower than was the rate of degradation of the labeled yeast. The ¹⁴C method appeared to give high recoveries of label and reproducible results.     

不同负载量对苹果~(13)C和~(15)N分配、利用的影响

【目的】利用稳定性同位素13C和15N示踪技术,研究了不同负载量对苹果13C和15N分配、利用的影响,从营养吸收的角度阐明负载量对苹果生长发育影响的机理,为疏果及提高氮肥利用率提供依据。【方法】以5年生垄栽王林/SH38/八棱海棠苹果为试材,于3月27日挖环状沟施肥,每株施入15N-尿素10 g,同时施N 110.33 g、P2O5143.15 g、K2O 151.26 g。在坐果后,立即进行疏果处理,试验设3个处理为对照(不疏果)、2/3负载量(疏掉其中1/3的果实)和1/3负载量(疏掉其中2/3的果实);于果实成熟期(9月6日)对已处理的植株进行整株13C标记处理。标记72 h后破坏性采样,测定13C和15N丰度。13C丰度用DELTA V Advantage同位素比率质谱仪测定,15N丰度用ZHT-03质谱计测定。【结果】与对照(不疏果)相比,2/3负载量和1/3负载量处理,果实平均单果重分别增加了17.68%和48.57%,根冠比分别增加了7.69%和15.38%,而其平均单株产量却显著降低,分别为对照的50.18%和78.60%;3处理单位干截面积平均产量分别为0.83 kg/cm2、0.54 kg/cm2和0.33 kg/cm2,三者之间差异显著;负载量增加促进叶片制造的13C同化物向果实中转移,减少了向根系的运输,对照、2/3负载量和1/3负载量处理的果实13C分配率分别为39.81%、29.25%和16.46%,根系13C分配率则分别为16.79%、19.98%和24.64%;负载量增加显著降低了植株15N的利用率,对照、2/3负载量和1/3负载量3个处理的植株15N利用率分别为8.51%、10.11%和13.23%。3个处理各器官的氮原子百分超(Ndff)值均表现为果实当年生枝根系叶片多年生枝中心干,不同处理间Ndff值的差异主要表现在果实和根系,果实的Ndff值随着负载量的增加而增大,对照的Ndff值达到2.76%,分别为2/3负载量和1/3负载量处理的1.17倍和1.31倍,而根系则表现出相反的趋势;15N分配率与13C分配率表现出相同的趋势,15N分配率较高的器官,13C分配率也处于较高水平。【结论】负载量增加可促进叶片制造的13C同化物向果实中转移,减少向根系的运输,对15N的吸收利用降低。当单位干截面积产量为0.54 kg/cm2时,能有效协调树体的碳、氮营养分配,对王林苹果的生产效果最佳。     

The dynamics of organic matter in rock fragments in soil investigated by 14C dating and measurements of 13C

Rock fragments in soil can contain significant amounts of organic carbon. We investigated the nature and dynamics of organic matter in rock fragments in the upper horizons of a forest soil derived from sandstone and compared them with the fine earth fraction (<2 mm). The organic C content and its distribution among humic, humin and non‐humic fractions, as well as the isotopic signatures (Δ¹⁴C and δ¹³C) of organic carbon and of CO₂ produced during incubation of samples, all show that altered rock fragments contain a dynamic component of the carbon cycle. Rock fragments, especially the highly altered ones, contributed 4.5% to the total organic C content in the soil. The bulk organic matter in both fine earth and highly altered rock fragments in the A1 horizon contained significant amounts of recent C (bomb ¹⁴C), indicating that most of this C is cycled quickly in both fractions. In the A horizons, the mean residence times of humic substances from highly altered rock fragments were shorter than those of the humic substances isolated in the fine earth. Values of Δ¹⁴C of the CO₂ produced during basal respiration confirmed the heterogeneity, complexity and dynamic nature of the organic matter of these rock fragments. The weak ¹⁴C signatures of humic substances from the slightly altered rock fragments confirmed the importance of weathering in establishing and improving the interactions between rock fragments and surrounding soil. The progressive enrichment in ¹³C from components with high‐¹⁴C (more recent) to low‐¹⁴C (older) indicated that biological activity occurred in both the fine and the coarse fractions. Hence the microflora utilizes energy sources contained in all the soil compartments, and rock fragments are chemically and biologically active in soil, where they form a continuum with the fine earth.     

作为颗粒运移的示踪剂的土壤7Be, 137Cs, 226Ra和228Ra的地球化学种类

A brunisolic soil collected from an erosive forest land(HF-1-1) and a yellow soil from and accumulative shallow basin(HF-6-1) in the watershed of Lake Hongfeng (HF) were used for activity measurements of ^7Be,^137Cs,^226Ra and ^228Ra in different geochemical speciation.More than 85% of ^7Be,^137Cs,^226Ra and 228Ra in the soils were bound to organic Fe-Mn oxy-hydroxide and residual fractions.They could move with soil particlesw and be used as tracers for the erosion and /or accumulation of soil particles.^7Be gohemical specition in the soils agreed with its trace for seasonal particle transport.^137Cs geohemial speciaiton was suitable for tracing soil particle accumulation and for sediment aating.^226Ra and ^228Ra were ombined in crystalline skeleton of clay minerals and mainly remained as residues in the soils and little was bound to the soluble,exchangeable and carbonate fractions.The differentiation of ^226 Ra/^228Ra activity ratios in different geoheical fractions in the soils could be used as a parameter to trace accumulation and /or erosion of soil particles.     

13C标记技术在土壤和植物营养研究中的应用

过去研究有机物在土壤中的周转通常采用14C标记技术 ,但由于人们对其放射性的关注 ,进入 80年代以来研究者趋于使用稳定性同位素13C标记技术。虽然13C标记技术相对来说还较年轻 ,但从已有有限的研究资料来看其优越性已经显示出来。一是在一定的条件下可以利用自然丰度分异较大的天然材料作为标记材料 ,既可以省去标记的时间和费用 ,又可以做到真正的原位研究 ;二是利用13C和15N加富标记技术 ,结合核磁共振测定 ,不仅可以研究有机物分解的动态变化 ,还可以追踪有机物在周转过程中C、N组分化学结构的变化 ,能为揭示土壤养分循环和腐殖质形成机理提供更多的信息。本文根据已收集到的部分资料 ,对13C标记技术在土壤和植物营养中的应用情况作一简要综述 ,并在此基础上讨论了13C加富标记技术在研究植物光合作用、光合产物的去向以及标记秸杆在土壤中的分解等方面的应用及其注意点 ,旨在能为国内开展这方面的工作提供十分有用的参考     

13C NMR spectra of soil organic fractions extracted with organic solvents

Soil organic fractions extracted in sequence with ethyl ether, acetone, benzene and dioxane have been investigated with ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The spectra of ethyl ether and acetone fractions are identical and show the presence of signals assigned to normal long chain (C_23±2) fatty acids. A very similar spectral pattern is displayed by the benzene fraction which appears to consist of a mixture (50 ± 10)% of normal fatty acids and normal alkanes (C_21±3). A comparison with data in the literature indicates that the well developed signals at 14, 23, 30 (very intense) and 32 ppm are a common feature of the lipid fraction extracted from different soils.A completely different spectrum has been obtained from the dioxane fraction. Most signals appearing in the range 55–75 ppm can be attributed to oxygen bonded sp³ carbon atoms. The lack of aromatic signals seems to exclude the possibility that this fraction was derived from lignin residues.The comparison with ¹H NMR spectra and the occurrence of distinct and sharp signals indicate that ¹³C NMR is a valuable tool in the study of soil organic fractions extracted with organic solvents.