Organo–organic and organo–mineral interfaces in soil at the nanometer scale

Possinger, Angela R.; Zachman, Michael J.; Enders, Akio; Levin, Barnaby A.; Muller, David A.; Kourkoutis, Lena F.; Lehmann, Johannes

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-19792-9

Organo–organic and organo–mineral interfaces in soil at the nanometer scale

Journal Article · Sun Nov 29 23:00:00 EST 2020 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19792-9· OSTI ID:1787007

^[1]; ^[2]; Enders, Akio ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[3]; ^[4]

Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States). School of Integrative Plant Science. Soil and Crop Sciences
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States). School of Applied and Engineering Physics
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States). School of Applied and Engineering Physics; Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States). Kavli Inst. at Cornell for Nanoscale Science
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States). School of Applied and Engineering Physics; Technical Univ. of Munich (Germany). Inst. for Advanced Study; Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Ithaca, NY (United States)

The capacity of soil as a carbon (C) sink is mediated by interactions between organic matter and mineral phases. However, previously proposed layered accumulation of organic matter within aggregate organo–mineral microstructures has not yet been confirmed by direct visualization at the necessary nanometer-scale spatial resolution. Here, we identify disordered micrometer-size organic phases rather than previously reported ordered gradients in C functional groups. Using cryo-electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), we show organo–organic interfaces in contrast to exclusively organo–mineral interfaces. Single-digit nanometer-size layers of C forms were detected at the organo–organic interface, showing alkyl C and nitrogen (N) enrichment (by 4 and 7%, respectively). At the organo–mineral interface, 88% (72–92%) and 33% (16–53%) enrichment of N and oxidized C, respectively, indicate different stabilization processes than at organo–organic interfaces. However, N enrichment at both interface types points towards the importance of N-rich residues for greater C sequestration.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF); Technical University of Munich Institute for Advanced Study

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; SC0001086

OSTI ID:: 1787007

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1814248

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 11; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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