Articles | Volume 5, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-383-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-383-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
19 Dec 2019
Original research article |
| 19 Dec 2019
| 19 Dec 2019
Identifying and quantifying geogenic organic carbon in soils – the case of graphite
Jeroen H. T. Zethof
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, Technische
Universität Dresden, 01737 Tharandt, Germany
Martin Leue
Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Research
Area 1 Landscape Functioning, Working Group Hydropedology, Eberswalder Str.
84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
Cordula Vogel
Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, Technische
Universität Dresden, 01737 Tharandt, Germany
Shane W. Stoner
Biogeochemical Processes Department, Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Straße
10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Karsten Kalbitz
Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, Technische
Universität Dresden, 01737 Tharandt, Germany
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- Late Glacial and Holocene buried black soils in Emilia (northern Italy): genetic and paleoenvironmental insights G. Bianchini et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-021-03088-6
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- Integrated mineralogical, microstructural, and thermal characterization of Azara barite Nasarawa State, Nigeria and its implications for radiation shielding materials N. Garba et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52436-4
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- Catalytic Hydrotreating of Crude Pongamia pinnata Oil to Bio-Hydrogenated Diesel over Sulfided NiMo Catalyst Y. Plaola et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15041547
- Mineralogical and petrographic characterisation of flake graphite in the graphite mica schist rocks from the Nubian Desert, Sudan D. Desouqi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02602
- Relationships between geochemical properties and microbial nutrient acquisition in tropical forest and cropland soils L. Kidinda et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2022.104653
- Soil Organic Carbon Estimation in Ferrara (Northern Italy) Combining In Situ Geochemical Analyses and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing G. Salani et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10100173
- Soil Organic Carbon Depletion in Managed Temperate Forests: Two Case Studies from the Apennine Chain in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy) V. Brombin et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10090156
- Carbon Soil Mapping in a Sustainable-Managed Farm in Northeast Italy: Geochemical and Geophysical Applications G. Salani et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11120289
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- Peat Soil Burning in the Mezzano Lowland (Po Plain, Italy): Triggering Mechanisms and Environmental Consequences C. Natali et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GH000444
- Linking thermal analysis with size fractionation for low-cost quantification of soil organic carbon fractions C. Dǎmǎtîrcǎ et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2026.117854
- Using combustion analysis to simultaneously measure soil organic and inorganic carbon T. Carter et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117066
- Efficacy of grape seed procyanidins for inhibiting denitrification varies by source, soil texture, and cropping history C. Hsiao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2023.105254
- Geogenic organic carbon in terrestrial sediments and its contribution to total soil carbon F. Kalks et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-347-2021
- Cow dung compost and vermicompost amendments promote soil carbon stock by enhancing labile organic carbon and residual oxidizable carbon fractions in maize field soil C. Pan & C. Huang https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.13122
- Utilisation of Coal Clinker Ash in Transforming the Carbon Content of Sandy Soil A. Dube et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051952
- Microbial properties in tropical montane forest soils developed from contrasting parent material—An incubation experiment L. Kidinda et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.202100274
- Thermal-gradient analysis of soil organic matter using an elemental analyser – A tool for qualitative characterization? T. Rennert & L. Herrmann https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116085
26 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Characterization and Provenance of Carbonate Rocks for Quicklime and Dololime Production in Twin-Shaft Regenerative Kilns from the Arabian Peninsula and Neighboring Countries G. Vola et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/min13121500
- Late Glacial and Holocene buried black soils in Emilia (northern Italy): genetic and paleoenvironmental insights G. Bianchini et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-021-03088-6
- Evidence of high carbon biodegradability in the subsoil of Mediterranean croplands W. Khairallah et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117212
- Deep in the Sierra Nevada critical zone: saprock represents a large terrestrial organic carbon stock K. Moreland et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac3bfe
- Integrated mineralogical, microstructural, and thermal characterization of Azara barite Nasarawa State, Nigeria and its implications for radiation shielding materials N. Garba et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52436-4
- Soil carbon fractions and their role in climate-resilient agriculture: A review M. Yadav et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scca.2025.100127
- Prokaryotic Community Composition and Extracellular Polymeric Substances Affect Soil Microaggregation in Carbonate Containing Semiarid Grasslands J. Zethof et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00051
- Catalytic Hydrotreating of Crude Pongamia pinnata Oil to Bio-Hydrogenated Diesel over Sulfided NiMo Catalyst Y. Plaola et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15041547
- Mineralogical and petrographic characterisation of flake graphite in the graphite mica schist rocks from the Nubian Desert, Sudan D. Desouqi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02602
- Relationships between geochemical properties and microbial nutrient acquisition in tropical forest and cropland soils L. Kidinda et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2022.104653
- Soil Organic Carbon Estimation in Ferrara (Northern Italy) Combining In Situ Geochemical Analyses and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing G. Salani et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10100173
- Soil Organic Carbon Depletion in Managed Temperate Forests: Two Case Studies from the Apennine Chain in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy) V. Brombin et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10090156
- Carbon Soil Mapping in a Sustainable-Managed Farm in Northeast Italy: Geochemical and Geophysical Applications G. Salani et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11120289
- Investigation and prediction of sticking tendency, blocks formation and occasional melting of lime at HT (1300 °C) by the overburning test method G. Vola et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123577
- Natural detoxification of antibiotics in the environment: A one health perspective F. Baquero et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1062399
- Importance of microbial communities at the root-soil interface for extracellular polymeric substances and soil aggregation in semiarid grasslands A. Bettermann et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108301
- Insight into the carbonaceous fraction of three cultural layers of different age from the area of Verona (NE Italy) M. Bortolini et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106453
- Peat Soil Burning in the Mezzano Lowland (Po Plain, Italy): Triggering Mechanisms and Environmental Consequences C. Natali et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GH000444
- Linking thermal analysis with size fractionation for low-cost quantification of soil organic carbon fractions C. Dǎmǎtîrcǎ et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2026.117854
- Using combustion analysis to simultaneously measure soil organic and inorganic carbon T. Carter et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117066
- Efficacy of grape seed procyanidins for inhibiting denitrification varies by source, soil texture, and cropping history C. Hsiao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2023.105254
- Geogenic organic carbon in terrestrial sediments and its contribution to total soil carbon F. Kalks et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-347-2021
- Cow dung compost and vermicompost amendments promote soil carbon stock by enhancing labile organic carbon and residual oxidizable carbon fractions in maize field soil C. Pan & C. Huang https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.13122
- Utilisation of Coal Clinker Ash in Transforming the Carbon Content of Sandy Soil A. Dube et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051952
- Microbial properties in tropical montane forest soils developed from contrasting parent material—An incubation experiment L. Kidinda et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.202100274
- Thermal-gradient analysis of soil organic matter using an elemental analyser – A tool for qualitative characterization? T. Rennert & L. Herrmann https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116085
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 27 Sep 2026
Short summary
A widely overlooked source of carbon (C) in the soil environment is organic C of geogenic origin, e.g. graphite. Appropriate methods are not available to quantify graphite and to differentiate it from other organic and inorganic C sources in soils. Therefore, we examined Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and the smart combustion method for their ability to identify and quantify graphitic C in soils. The smart combustion method showed the most promising results.
A widely overlooked source of carbon (C) in the soil environment is organic C of geogenic...
