The water soluble organic fractions (WSOF) from an agricultural soil (W), a soil treated with sludge for 6 years ($WS_6$), a sludge-soil mixture incubated for one week ($WS_1$), and sewage sludge (SS) were extracted, purified, and characterized by ele...
The water soluble organic fractions (WSOF) from an agricultural soil (W), a soil treated with sludge for 6 years ($WS_6$), a sludge-soil mixture incubated for one week ($WS_1$), and sewage sludge (SS) were extracted, purified, and characterized by elemental analysis, functional group determinations, infrared, UV-visible, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrosocpy. The SS was characterized by higher organic H, N, and P contents, a higher H/C ratio, and a lower C/N ratio than W. Total acidity carboxyl and phenolic hydroxyl group contents were generally highest in SS, intermediate in $WS_6$ and $WS_1$, and lowest in W. Overall aromatic character and aromatic carboxyl group contents were highest in W, and lowest in SS. Aliphatic proton, aliphatic carboxyl, and phenolic hydroxyl group contents were highest in SS, and lowest in W. Protein decomposition products were the pronounced components in SS, and decreased in concentration as the sludge component in the mixtures decreased. The $^1H$-NMR spectra suggested that the SS-protons were bound to a wider range of functional groups than W-protons. Structural complexities around the aromatic protons followed the following order: SS>$WS_1$>$WS_6$>W.