Investigation of the transformation and interaction of organic model compounds in agricultural soils employing isotopic techniques

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Kai Uwe Totsche
• Subject Area: Soil Sciences
• Term: from 2009 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 91378725

Transformation and interactions of organic compounds in agricultural soils occur on soil interfaces. The research of thirteen cooperating groups aims at the systematic structural characterisation and functional exploration of reactive soil interfaces and at unravelling their role for the fate and effect of organic model chemicals that enter agricultural soils. The final goal is to gain a mechanistic understanding of the complex interplay and interdependencies of the physical, chemical and biological processes operative at these interfaces with respect to the fate of organic compounds. A fundamental aspect of the cooperation between the research groups are sophisticated joint experiments, in which organic model compounds including representatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanes, chiral and endocrine disrupting compounds as well as pesticides are used. An integral element is to study interactions with soil interfaces and metabolisation and degradation pathways by isotopic techniques. Therefore, the use of both stable and radio-labelled model compounds is essential to successfully conduct research within the cooperating projects.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1315: Biogeochemical Interfaces in Soil