VOCs comprise both methane (CH 4) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). NMVOCs are defined as " all those artificial organic compounds different from methane which can produce photochemical oxidants by reaction with nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight " .

Nitrogen is one of the most important ecosystem nutrients and often its availability limits net primary production as well as stabilization of soil organic matter. The long-term storage of nitrogen-containing organic matter in soils was classically attributed to chemical complexity of plant and microbial residues that retarded microbial degradation. Recent advances have revised this framework, ...