Chapter 4: Comprehensive Multiphase NMR: Natural Samples in Their Natural State

In their native states, most natural samples exist as complex heterogeneous mixtures, with conformation, associations between phases, and transfer across phases being critical to biological function and environmental reactivity. Often analytical techniques to observe natural samples tend to be destructive to the sample itself and/or can only monitor individual phases (solution or solid). Comprehensive multiphase NMR (CMP-NMR) is a non-invasive technique capable of monitoring all phases (solution, gel, and solid) and their interactions such as binding and phase transformation in intact samples at the molecular level. Thus far, CMP-NMR has been used to observe numerous environmental multi-phase processes in soil, as well as living organisms. This chapter will discuss all applications of CMP-NMR to date to demonstrate the applicability and versatility of CMP-NMR to observe structural changes and interactions in complex systems.