The chemical nature of soil organic phosphorus. I. Inositol phosphates

Abstract

Gradient elution chromatography, using a column of anion exchange resin, Dowex AG I-X8, has been used to separate and isolate constituents of the 'phytin' fraction of soil organic matter. In addition to the commonly occurring myoinositol hexaphosphate the presence of the corresponding derivatives of DL-inositol and scylloinositol was demonstrated. Of the lower inositol phosphates present pentaphosphates appeared to be the major constituents. The occurrence in nature of inositols, other than the myoinositol, as phosphorylated derivatives, has not previously been recorded. Present knowledge is insufficient to decide whether soil inositol phosphates are of plant origin or accumulated through the activities of soil microorganisms.