Chemical structure of humic substances

ABSTRACT THE nature of soil humic acids and similar substances derivable from oxidised brown coal is of considerable fundamental and practical interest. It has now been found, using organic

extractants, that solutions of soil humic substances, capable of NMR spectroscopic investigation, may be prepared. The spectra obtained suggest that polymers of a similar structure to

oxidised polyethylene are important components of soils. Numerous other types of chemical structures are also evident from the NMR absorptions of soil organic matter solutions; the amounts

and types present vary widely from soil to soil. It is suggested here that chemical fractionation of soil organic matter can be most easily followed by observation of the NMR spectra. Access

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SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS EVIDENCE FOR THE FORMATION OF FUSED AROMATIC RING STRUCTURES IN AN ORGANIC SOIL PROFILE IN THE EARLY DIAGENESIS Article Open access 31 July 2023 THE

INFLUENCE OF BIOCHAR ON THE CONTENT OF CARBON AND THE CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF FALLOW AND GRASSLAND HUMIC ACIDS Article Open access 11 March 2021 TRANSFORMATIONS OF PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS IN

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Soil Science, University of Aberdeen, Meston Walk, Aberdeen, UK DAVID GRANT Authors * DAVID GRANT View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS

AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE GRANT, D. Chemical structure of humic substances. _Nature_ 270, 709–710 (1977).

https://doi.org/10.1038/270709a0 Download citation * Received: 03 August 1977 * Accepted: 28 October 1977 * Published: 01 December 1977 * Issue Date: 22 December 1977 * DOI:

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