Refractory organic substances (ROS) are an essential part of the biogeochemical carbon cycle. Wherever there is life on earth, there will also be ROS in the form of poorly biodegradable leftovers of organisms and as a source for new life. Furthermore, it is now beyond doubt that ROS are closely related to the carbon intensity identified as one of the driving forces in the dynamics of green house gas emission, such that ROS play a key role in sustainable development.
'Refractory Organic Substances in the Environment' provides the results of six years of top-priority research, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). This research program investigated the structure and function of ROS in different parts of the environment, from a chemical, physical, biological, and soil scientific point of view. It included the first systematic study of a set of reference samples from Central Europe, originating from a bog lake, soil seepage water, groundwater, and from the wastewaters of a brown coal processing plant and a secondary effluent. Thus, this work not only highlights the structural features obtained from the application of advanced analytical tools, but also the function in anthropogenically influenced aquatic systems and soils. Of special interest to students and researchers in life sciences.

Fritz Hartmann Frimmel is the editor ofRefractory Organic Substances in the Environment, published by Wiley.

Gudrun Abbt-Braun is the editor ofRefractory Organic Substances in the Environment, published by Wiley.

Klaus G. Heumann is the editor ofRefractory Organic Substances in the Environment, published by Wiley.

Berthold Hock is the editor ofRefractory Organic Substances in the Environment, published by Wiley.

Hans-Dietrich Lüdemann is the editor ofRefractory Organic Substances in the Environment, published by Wiley.

Michael Spiteller is the editor ofRefractory Organic Substances in the Environment, published by Wiley.

Preface
List of Authors
List of Abbreviations
SETTING THE SCENE
The Relevance of Reference Materials Isolation and General Characterization
Element Determination and its Quality Control in Fractions ofRefractory Organic Substances and the Corresponding Original Water Samples
STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATIONS
Heavy Metal and Halogen Interactions with Fractions of Refractory Organic Substances Separated by Size-exclusion Chromatography
Characterization of Refractory Organic Substances and their Metal Species by Combined Analytical Procedures
Application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Structural Investigations of Refractory Organic Substances -
Principles and Definitions
Structural Characterization of Refractory Organic Substances by Solid-state High-resolution C-13 and N-15 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Quantification of Substructures of Refractory Organic Substances by Means of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Investigations of Silylated Refractory Organic Substances
Isotopic Evidence for the Origin and Formation of Refractory Organic Substances
Analytical Pyrolysis of Humic Substances and Dissolved Organic Matter in Water
Characterization of Refractory Organic Substances by HPLC/MS
UV-Visible Spectroscopy and the Potential of Fluorescent Probes
Stationary and Time resolved Fluorescence for Refractory Organic Substances Characterization
Structural Characterization of Refractory Organic Substances by Pyrolysis-GC/FTIR
X-ray Microscopy Studies of Refractory Organic Substances
Fractionation of Refractory Organic Substances by Electrophoresis
Occurrence of Amino Acids, Carbohydrates, and Low-molecular-weight Organic Acids in Refractory Organic Substances
Serological Characterization of Refractory Organic Substances by Serotyping
Chemical and Spectroscopic Data of the Reference Samples -
Comparison and Evaluation
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION
Formation, Utilization, and Transformation of Some Refractory Organic Substances by Aquatic Microorganisms
Effect of Microorganisms on the Formation and Transformation of Iodine Species of Refractory Organic Substances
The Influence of Refractory Organic Substances on Bacterial Colonization and Diversity Patterns
Influence of Refractory Organic Substances on Enzyme Activity in-vivo and DNA Damage of Aquatic Microorganisms
Effects of Dissolved Organic Matter on the Bioconcentration of Organic Contaminants and on Reproduction in Aquatic Invertebrates
MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS
Sorption of Dissolved Organic Matter on Soil Particles and its Dependence on their Surface-charge Properties
Dissolved Organic Carbon in Seepage Water -
Production and Transformation During Soil Passage
Refractory Organic Substances in Aggregated Forest Soils -
Retention versus Translocation
Refractory Organic Substances Derived from Organic Amendments in Soil -
Formation, Translocation, and Interaction with Xenobiotics
Analysis of the Binding of Amitrole and Anilazine to Aquatic and Terrestrial Refractory Organic Substances
Sorption and Chemical Reactions of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons with Dissolved Refractory Organic Substances and Related Model Polymers
Investigation of the Interactions between Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds and Refractory Organic Substances with Stationary and Time-resolved Fluorescence and Absorption Spectroscopy