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The o and l isomers of some protein amino acids present In soils were measured by using a gas chromatographic technique. The results of two processing procedures were compared to determine the better method. Results of the comparison indicated that the determination of o and l percentages requires amino acid purification If one is tb obtain accurate data. It was found that very significant amounts of o-alartlne, o-aspartic acid, and o-glutamic acid were present in the contemporary soils studied. Valine, isoleucine, leucine, proline, and phenylalanine generally contained only, a trace to very Small amounts of the o isomer. It is probable that the o-amlno acids from the alanine, aspartic, and glutamic acids are contributed to the soil primarily via microorganisms. The flridlng of very significant quantities of some D-amino acids (~S-16%)In present-day soils may alert some Investigators of geological sediments to a possible problem In using amino acid racemization as an age-dating technique.

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