In peats

Peat Waxes. Peat waxes are much like montan waxes in that they contain three main components a wax fraction, a resin fraction, and an asphalt fraction. The amount of asphalt in the total yield is influenced strongly by the solvent used in the extraction. Montan waxes contain ca 50 wt % more of the wax fraction than peat waxes, and correspondingly lower percentages of the resin and asphalt fractions. The wax fraction in peat wax is chemically similar to that of the wax fraction in montan wax. 

Katase, T. and Kondo, R. (1984). Distribution of different forms of some phenolic acids in peat soils in Hokkaido, Japan 1. Trans-4-hydroxycirmamic acid. Soil Science 138 220-225. 

Roos-Barraclough F, Martinez-Cortizas A, Garcia-Rodeja E, Shotyk W (2002) A 14 500 year record of the accumulation of atmospheric mercury in peat volcanic signals, anthropogenic influences and a correlation to bromine accumulation. Earth Planet Sci Lett 202 435 -51... 

In many northern regions, peat bogs are widespread. Our study shows that peat groundwater can have geochemical responses consistent with its interaction with kimberlite rocks (Sader et al. 2007). The geochemical responses can be different from those in mineral soil. Therefore, exploration in peat bog terrains requires specific sampling methods. 

Elements that are common to kimberlite rock are elevated in peat groundwater over buried kimberlite. 

A high amount of various nutrients and trace metals is retained in peat and dead plant residues and thus temporarily eliminated from the biogeochemical cycles and pollutants exposure to human and ecosystem health. The period of this elimination depends on the solubility of these metals. It has been shown (Dobrovolsky, 1994) that... 

An example of the fragile nutrient balance in peat bogs is given in Table 7.2 for a blanket bog in northern England. The table shows the losses of N through erosion of the peat, and the losses of nutrient cations through leaching and removal in stream water. 

Stephen KD, Arab JRM, Daulat W, Clymo RS. 1998a. Root-mediated gas transport in peat determined by argon diffusion. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 30 501-508. 

Aho M., "Decrease of the Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides in Peat Combustion" proceedings Swedish Flame Days 1987, Studsvik (Sweden), 1-11 (1987). 

Lignite (Brown Coal). A brownish-black coal in which the alteration of vegetable matter has proceeded further than in peat, but not as far as in sub-bituminous coal. There is no sharp distinction between these three materials, but in general, lignite is denser, darker in color, and contains more C than peat. Lignite consists of w 9—12, vol comb matter 31—38, fixed C 27—43, and ash 5-20% (Ref 3)... 

Casagrande, D. j. 1987. Sulphur in peat and coal. In Scott, A. C. (ed) Coal and Coal-Bearing Strata Recent Advances. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 32, 87-105. 

Install a composting toilet, which uses no water. Rather, it allows human wastes to decompose aerobically as air is vented over the waste, which is buried in peat moss. Dried, odor-free compost is removed every few months and is useful as a garden fertilizer. 

The carbonaceous and nitrogenous components in peat and in the connate waters were determined by Motojima (13) and Maki (12) and the results are given in Tables IX and X. The relationship between the ratios of Total C/ Total N of peat and those of the connate waters suggests that the same micro-... 

Table IX. Vertical Variation of Carbon and Nitrogen in Peat from Higashiyonesato ...

It seems therefore that stable radicals are formed during diagenesis (possibly by aerial oxidation as well as enzymatic action), but it may be questioned whether it is these radicals that survive metamorphism and are observed in bituminous coals. One of the main chemical consequences of metamorphism is that much of the combined oxygen in peats is eliminated, and one would expect that if the majority of the free radical centers in peats were localized on oxygen atoms, they would mostly be eliminated during metamorphism. 

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