Comparison of Analytical Methods for Organic Matter in Composts and Organic Mulches

Abstract

The conventional dichromate (Walkley and Black), carbon analyzer, and weight loss‐on‐ignition (WLOI) methods are compared for determination of organic matter contents in composts and organic mulches. The objective of this study was to evaluate these three methods for their reliability in determining the organic matter contents of composts and organic mulches that also contain inorganic carbon. The carbon analyzer method overestimated organic matter contents for samples containing inorganic carbon (C) as carbonate or charcoal C. The removal of inorganic C improved the correlation coefficients (r) of results obtained by the carbon analyzer method and the Walkley and Black method (0.95 vs. 0.89). The WLOI method produced results more similar to those obtained with the Walkley and Black method than with a carbon analyzer. Oven drying samples for 16–24 h at 105°C as a basal temperature for WLOI improved results compared with a basal temperature at 70°C, which is commonly used. A heating temperature of 500°C for 12 h resulted in organic matter determinations by the WLOI method in the closest agreement with those obtained by the Walkley and Black method.

Keywords:

• Organic mulch
• organic matter
• weight loss‐on‐ignition

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station and approved for publication as Journal Series No. R‐08190. We thank Dr. Don Graetz for analysis of samples using a carbon analyzer.