Fractionated combustion analysis of carbon in forest soils — new possibilities for the analysis and characterization of different soils

The fractionated combustion analysis of carbon allows the sequential analysis of the total organic carbon (TOC), total inorganic carbon (TIC) and total carbon (TC) fractions in forest soils. Magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate of the inorganic carbon fraction can also be detected separately. Soils from various forest stands cause different combustion characteristics of the organic carbon fraction, also depending on the soil profile depth. This automatic combustion technique is suitable to characterize the organic carbon fraction of different soil types.