Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy: Part I Historiccal Perspectives

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a nondestructive, noninvasive, highly sensitive and accurate analytical technique applicable to chemical species that possess one or more unpaired electrons. The first part of this chapter summarizes the basic principles, instrumentation and methodology of EPR spectroscopy. In the second part, the main applications of EPR to the study of indigenous and transient organic free radicals present in soil humic substances and their interactions with organic chemicals, together with paramagnetic transition metal ions in soil constituents, are described. The chapter ends with a brief overview of spin derivatization approaches and conclusion and perspectives.