Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Michael Philben, Geological & Environmental Science
Document Type
Poster
Event Date
4-12-2024
Abstract
Peatlands are an important carbon sink. However, climate change threatens to cause the peatlands to release their stored-up carbon. This would result in lots of carbon dioxide and methane to be released into the atmosphere due to the increased peat decomposition. This would end up forming a positive feedback loop, and thus resulting in more and more carbon lost from the peat. The biochemical composition of the peat is an indicator of the degradation state of the peat as well as its ongoing vulnerability to decomposition. In this study, we developed an HPLC method for analyzing the carbohydrate composition of peat. The method begins with acid hydrolysis to convert carbohydrate polymers to sugar monomers. The monomers are then derivatized with 1-Phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) and then analyzed via HPLC/Diode array detection. We used the method to determine patterns of carbohydrate composition in surface peats across a climate transect of Michigan peatlands.
Recommended Citation
Repository citation: Klaver, Christopher; Diaz, Parker; Brewer, Abigail; Figueroa-Enriquez, Gael; and Smith, Madison, "Development of a Liquid Chromatography Method for the Quantification of Carbohydrates in Peat Soils" (2024). 23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024). Paper 51.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/curca_23/51
April 12, 2024. Copyright © 2024 Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
Comments
This research was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), under award number 80NSSC20M0124, Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) and by the Global Water Research Institute.