This book demonstrates the usefulness of NMR spectroscopy for a wide variety of applications in environmental science and technology. The book contains a wealth of information relating to instrumentation, sample preparation, and data interpretation. It is divided into three sections discussing contaminant interaction, solution and condensed phase characterization, and nutrients and natural organic matter characterization. In addition to these in-depth chapters, an introductory overview provides the basic principles of solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Each section also contains a discussion of advances in each area directly attributable to NMR spectroscopy. A final chapter suggests future directions for the deployment of this powerful technology in environmental science.

Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA) was fractionated into 7 fractions by normal-phase chromatography on silica gel followed by reverse-phase fractionation on XAD-8 resin that produced 18 subfractions. Selected major subfractions were characterized by 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared spectrometry, and elemental analyses. 13C-NMR spectra of the subfractions were more indicative of precursor structures than unfractionated SRFA, and gave spectral profiles that indicated SRFA mass was about equally split between tannin precursors and terpenoid precursors. Lignin precursors were minor components. Synthesis of 13C-NMR data with elemental data for subfractions derived from both tannin and terpenoid precursors revealed high ring contents and low numbers of carbon per rings which is indicative of fused ring structures that are extensively substituted with carboxyl and methyl groups. These results ruled out extended chain structures for SRFA. This information is useful for determining sources and properties of fulvic acid in drinking water supplies as tannins are more reactive with chlorine to produce undesirable disinfection by-products than are terpenoids.