Potential for Quantification of Biologically Active Soil Carbon with Potassium Permanganate

• Published in: Communications in soil science and plant analysis Vol. 40; no. 9-10; pp. 1604 - 1609
• Main Author: Dell, Curtis J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 01.05.2009; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Active soil C; agricultural soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; carbon dioxide; carbon sequestration; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; oxidation; potassium permanganate; quantitative analysis; rapid methods; silt loam soils; soil analysis; soil chemistry; soil nutrient dynamics; soil organic carbon; soil respiration; Soil science; Active soil C; Soils; potassium permanganate; Carbon; Biological activity; Carbon dioxide
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416
• DOI: 10.1080/00103620902831685

Oxidation of soils with 333 mM potassium permanganate (KMnO4) has been identified as a means to quantify labile soil carbon (C) and may have potential for rapid measurement of biologically active soil C. In the current study, active C pools in several soils were estimated by oxidation with a range of KMnO4 concentrations and compared to estimates determined from carbon dioxide evolution during 28-d incubations. Digestion with 333 mM KMnO4 identified larger active C pools than did incubation data. However, shaking soils for 15 min with 2.5 mM KMnO4 provided estimates of active C that accounted for 1.5 to 1.9% of the total C pools and were not significantly different than those estimated using incubation data. Oxidation with dilute KMnO4 appears to be feasible to rapidly quantify active soil C pools. However, measurements are dependent on KMnO4 concentration and shaking time, so great care is needed to assure consistent results.