Chemical characterization of recent and buried woods by analytical pyrolysis: comparison of pyrolysis data with 13C NMR and wet chemical data

In a previous study, selective degradation of carbohydrates versus lignin in buried woods was demonstrated by non-destructive spectroscopy (¹³C NMR) and destructive wet chemical methods (acid hydrolysis and alkaline CuO oxidation). In this paper, spruce, alder and oak woods deposited in coastal sediments and their recent equivalents are characterized by pyrolysis-mass spectrometry and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Pyrolysis data, wet chemical degradation and NMR data are in good agreement, indicating that flash pyrolysis methods are useful for fast detailed characterization of this type of organic matter.