What is the chemical composition of peat?

Answer 1

The peat in the world's peatlands has been forming for 360 million years and contains 550 Gt of carbon. Under the right conditions, peat is the earliest stage in the formation of coal. Peat forms when plant material, usually in marshy areas, is inhibited from decaying fully by acidic and anaerobic conditions. It is composed mainly of marshland vegetation: trees, grasses, fungi, as well as other types of organic remains, such as insects, and animal corpses. Under certain conditions, the decomposition of the latter (in the absence of oxygen) is inhibited, and archaeologists often take advantage of this. -Mickey (+63-921-667-0-667)

Answer 2

Peat is composed mainly of partially decayed plant material such as mosses and sedges. It also contains water and small amounts of minerals. The chemical composition can vary, but peat is primarily made up of organic matter like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.