15N NMR Spectroscopic Study on Nitrogen Forms in Humic Substances of Soils

Nitrogen forms of humic substances from a subalpine meadow soil, a latentic red soil and a weathered coal and the effect of acid hydrolysis on N structures of soil humic substances were studied by using 15N cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CPMAS NMR) spectroscopy. Of the detectable 15N-signal intensity in the spectra of soil humic substances 71%-79% may be attributed to amide groups, 10%-18% to aromatic/aliphatic amines and 6%~11% to indole- and pyrrole-like N. Whereas in the spectrum of the fulvic acid from weathered coal 46%, at least, of the total 15N-signal intensity might be assigned to pyrrole-like N, 14% to aromatic/aliphatic ammes, and the remaining intensities could not be assigned with certainty. Data on nonhydrolyzable residue of protein-sugar mixture and a 15N-labelled soil fulvic acid confirm the formation of nonhydrolyzable heterocyclic N during acid hydrolysis. Project (No. 39790100) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.