LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF PHENOLIC-ACIDS IN SOIL

A rapid and sensitive method is described for the determination of phe nolic acid concentrations in soil. The method consists of extraction w ith 0.1M NaOH for 16 h, centrifugation, filtration, pH adjustment to r educe detector interference, and liquid chromatographic separation on a C18 column and UV detection at 280 nm. Recoveries of 6 phenolic acid s (ferulic, p-coumaric, caffeic, syringic, vanillic, and p-hydroxybenz oic) were 58,100, 0, 66, 83, and 123%, respectively. The limits of det ection were 0.5 mug/g for p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, and syringic aci ds and 1.0 mug/g for ferulic and p-coumaric acids. Caffeic acid was no t detectable with this method.