The wise usage of analytical methods and modern techniques allows the investigation of the processes and mechanisms in soils and to assess the status of the environment.The goal of this session was to promote a wider use of innovative analytical methods and hyphenated instrumental techniques for separation and determination of chemical and biochemical compounds of both known and unknown structures in mineral and organic soils, sediments, substrates and composts. Modern analytical methods and hyphenated techniques can be utilized for the investigation of the processes and mechanisms in soils like formation, transformation, and conversion. Unfortunately, the importance of their utilisation in soil analysis is often underestimated.
The session is an opportunity to present the works describing the usage of ICP-MS; MP-AES, GC-MS, HPLC-MS, LDI-TOF MS, TGA-MS, FTIR, EPR, NMR, fluorescence and capillary electrophoresis etc. in the analysis of soils. The session is not limited to these techniques or methods. Also the works describing the methods of soil physical analysis are accepted. The studies connected with methodology of soil chemical analysis and particularly soil organic matter are welcome.
The results presented during this session are expected to provide a better insight into chemical, physical and biological processes and mechanisms in soils and help explain their function in the environment.

A special issue of journal Soil Science (IF 0.713, ISSN 0038-075X) will be published using the materials presented on session