A rapid accurate wet oxidation diffusion procedure for determining organic and inorganic carbon in plant and soil samples

Abstract A method is presented for determining organic carbon content of soils, extracts and plant tissue utilizing an acidic wet oxidation in modified culture tubes; samples containing carbonates are pretreated with dilute acid. Evolved CO2 is trapped in a NaOH solution and quantified titrimetrically. The method described has a range of 0.4–11 mg. carbon and the range can be extended in either direction by modifying the CO2 trapping/titration procedure. This method is as accurate and precise as more time consuming dry oxidation procedures.