Magnetic resonance techniques are nowadays widely applied as powerful analytical methods in different fields of modern science, medicine and industry. In fundamental and applied chemistry practically each chemical study, from the simplest organic molecules to complex molecular systems, leans upon data obtained by magnetic resonance experiments, carried out either on different nuclei (NMR) or on electrons (ESR).
In environmental sciences magnetic resonance techniques are used for a large variety of applications e.g. H/D exchange, relaxation measurements, binding-induced peak shifts, and full NMR structure resolution. Recent advances in electronics allowed the development of NMR on solids and semi-solid samples, as well as the evolution of in situ NMR equipments. In addition to classical NMR applications, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of soil-water and tracer transport processes in soil (e.g. spatial and temporal changes of soil-water distributions or the movement of wetting fronts, root growth and water uptake) and NMR relaxometry and diffusometry for pore space exploration in natural porous media are important fields in the study of soils.
The focus of this session is on application of magnetic resonance techniques like NMR, MRI, relaxometry or ESR in soil science. In particular, contributions related to molecular properties of natural organic matter, understanding contaminant environmental fate, evaluation of soil properties as affected by waste disposal, petroleum chemistry, assessment of archaeological soils, soil-plant interactions, water and tracer transport processes in soils and pore space exploration by relaxometry/diffusometry will be acknowledged.