Organic compounds consist of chains (branched or unbranched) or rings of carbon (C) atoms with predominantly hydrogen (H) or hydrogen + oxygen (OH) bonded to the carbon atoms. The number of carbon atoms in an organic compound can vary from one to many. Organic compounds with carbon atoms numbering 16–36 have been implicated as the main causative agents of soil water repellence. The classes of organic compounds responsible for water repellence include long-chain fatty acids, esters, alkanes, phytanols, phytanes and sterols.
