Chrysotalunin, a most prominent soil anthraquinone pigment in Japanese soils

Abstract The distribution of CLN (a dimer of chrysophanol), which is a common pigment, was determined by HPLC in a variety of soils from widely separated locations in Japan: (1) CLN had a widespread distribution among Japanese soils; (2) in soils of A-type humic acid (HA), CLN contents were higher than those in soils of other types; (3) for an ando soil CLN was mainly found in the HA and humin (HM) fractions rather than in fulvic acid; (4) it is suggested that the distribution of CLN in this profile depends on that in the HA fractions; (5) distribution of CLN in HN fractions and its presence in buried humus horizon (6400–10200 YBP) suggests its high stability.