• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.373-380
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• 2002

Humic and fulvic acids present in soil of different depth were extracted and their characteristics were analyzed as a basic study to evaluate the effect of humic substances on the behaviour of radioactive elements deposited on soil. Molecular size distribution of the humic and fulvic acids was measured by stirred cell ultrafiltration technique and the structural informations were obtained from their UV-Vis., IR and synchronous fluorescence (SyF) spectral analysis. Main molecular size ranges of the soil 1) humic and fulvic acids were 30~100 kDa (46~56%) and 10~30 kDa (33~43%) respectively, and their overall molecular sizes were found to became smaller with increasing the soil depth. Absorptivities measured at 280 nm in the UV-Visible spectra of humic acids were 1.4~1.5 times higher than those of fulvic acids, and increased with increasing the soil depth. SyF spectral data showed two distinct peak components having maximum peak positions of 428 nm (type I) and 498 nm (type II) for the soil humic and fulvic acids. From the analysis of the peak components, it was found that humic molecules are mainly made up of aromatic compounds corresponding to longer wavelength (type II), and the molecular components increased with increasing the soil depth. Analysis of IR spectral data indicated that the humic molecules contain a higher relative concentration of carboxylic groups than those of fulvic molecules, and the carboxylic group contents are seen to increase as the soil depth increase.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.42-51
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• 2004

Peat humin(p-Humin), humic acid(p-HA) and fulvic acid(p-FA) were isolated from Canadian Sphagnum peat moss by dissolution in 0.1M NaOH followed by acid precipitation. After purification cycles, they are characterized for their elemental compositions and, acid/base properties. Functionalities and carbon structures of the humic fractions were also characterized using FT-IR and solid state $^{13}C$-NMR spectroscopy. Those results are compared with one another and with soil humic substances from literatures. Main purpose of this study was to present a chemical and spectroscopic characterization data of humic substance from peat moss needed to evaluate its environmental applicability. The relative proportions of the p-Humin, p-HA and p-FA in the peat moss was $76\%,\;18\%,\;and\;3\%$, respectively, based on the total organic matter content ($957{\pm}32\;g/kg$). Elemental composition of p-Humin were found to be $C_{1.00}H_{1.52}O_{0.79}N_{0.01}$ and had higher H/C and (N+O)/C ratio compared to those of p-HA($C_{1.00}H_{1.09}O_{0.51}N_{0.02}$) and p-FA($C_{1.00}H_{1.08}O_{0.65}N_{0.01}$). Based on the analysis of pH titration data, there are two different types of acidic functional groups in the peat moss and its humic fractions and their proton exchange capacities(PEC, meq/g) were in the order p-FA(4.91) >p-HA(4.09) >p-Humin(2.38). IR spectroscopic results showed that the functionalities of the peat moss humic molecules are similar to those of soil humic substances, and carboxylic acid(-COOH) is main function group providing metal binding sites for Cd(II) sorption. Spectral features obtained from $^{13}C$-NMR indicated that peat moss humic molecules have rather lower degree of humification, and that important structural differences exist between p-Humin and soluble humic fractions(p-HA and p-FA).

• 보존과학연구
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• s.29
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• pp.137-148
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• 2008

Analyses of ancient DNA (aDNA) from archaeological and historical skeletal material are characterized by low quality. Many soil contaminants such as humic acid, fulvic acid, and bone collagen are often co-extracted with aDNA and inhibit amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In this study, we compared with two methods of DNA extraction by phenolchloroform extraction and silica-bead extraction. In addition, we applied new protocol, ultra sonication based silica-bead extraction method to extract aDNA from some ancient human skeletal remains. This method was more effective by both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and amelogenin gene amplification.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.523-528
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to reduce negative elements such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from fulvic acid using supercritical carbon dioxide ($SCO_2$) and to measure concentration and chromaticity of fulvic acid before and after treatment of $SCO_2$. Fulvic acid was treated at different experimental conditions; pressures of 100, 120 and 150 bar at $40^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. The composition of VOCs from fulvic acid was evaluated by GC-MS analysis, and the concentration was quantitatively analyzed using UV-spectrometer from fulvic acid at different experimental conditions. Also, the chromaticity of fulvic acid was evaluated using spectrophotometer. Though concentration and chromaticity of fulvic acid were not nearly changed, the VOCs from fulvic acid was remarkably decreased at 150 bar, $40^{\circ}C$ and 2 h. Reduction of VOCs through the $SCO_2$ is expected to contribute to quality improvement of fulvic acid.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1067-1074
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• 2008

In this study, the organic carbon normalized-sorption coefficients (Koc) for the binding affinity of phenanthrene (PHE) to 16 different soil humic and fulvic acids of various origins were determined by fluorescence quenching. The humic and fulvic acids used in this study were isolated from 6 different domestic soils including Mt. Hanla soil, IHSS standard soil and peat as well as Aldrich humic acid and characterized by elemental composition, ultraviolet absorption at 254 nm, composition of main structural fragments determined by CPMAS $^{13}$C NMR. The Koc values($\times$10$^4$, L/kg C) for each of HA and FA samples were in the range of 1.48$\sim$8.65 and higher in HA compared to that of FA(3.13$\sim$8.65 vs 1.48$\sim$2.48) in the experimental condition([PHE]/[HS] = 0.02$\sim$0.2(mg/L)/(mg-OC/L), pH 6). The correlation study between the structural descriptors of humic and fulvic acids and log Koc values of phenanthrene, show that the magnitude of Koc values positively correlated with the UV$_{254}$ absorptivity([ABS]$_{254}$) and two $^{13}$C NMR descriptors (C$_{Ar-H,C}$, $\sum$C$_{Ar}$/$\sum$C$_{Alk}$), while negatively correlated with the independent descriptors of the(N+O)/C atomic ratios and $^{13}$C NMR descriptors (I$_{C-O}$/I$_{C-H,C}$). These results confirmed that the binding affinity for the hydrophobic organic compound, phenanthrene are significantly influenced by the polarity and aromaticity of soil humc and fulvic acids.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.989-996
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• 2007

In this study, abiotic transformation of 1-naphthol(1-NP) via oxidative-coupling reaction and its reaction products were investigated in the presence of Mn oxides. The reaction products were characterized for their relative polarity using solvent extraction experiment and reverse-phase HPLC, and for structure using CCMS and LC/MS, and for absorption characteristics using UV-Vis spectrometry. The reaction products present in aqueous phase were more polar than parent naphthol and comprised of 1,4-naphthoquinon(1,4-NPQ) and oligomers such as dimers and trimers. Hydrophilic component present in water phase after solvent$(CH_2Cl_2)$ extractions was identified as naphthol polymerized products having molecular weight(m/z) ranging from 400 to 2,000, and showed similar UV-Vis. absorption characteristics to that of foil fulvic acid. Transformation of 1,4-NPQ, which is non-reactive to Mn oxide, to the polymerized products via cross-coupling reaction in the presence of 1-NP was also verified. In this experimental conditions(20.5 mg/L, 1-NP, 2.5 g/L $MnO_2$, pH 5), the transformation of 1-NP into the oligomers and polymerized products were about 83% of initial 1-NP concentrations, and more than 30% of the reaction products was estimated to be water insoluble fractions, not extracted by $H_2O$ methanol. Results from this study suggest that Mn oxide-mediated treatment of naphthol contaminated soils can achieve risk reduction through the formation of oligomers md polymer precipitation.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.163-172
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• 2004

The molecular size distribution and fluorescence properties of soil fulvic acids (FA) were characterized by using gel filtration chromatography (GFC) and luminescence spectroscopy. The objectives of this work were to fractionate the FA extracted from a forest soil into different nominal molecular size using GFC system and to characterize the fluorescence properties (excitation, emission and synchronous) of these fractions using luminescence spectrometer. The GFC column was calibrated with polyethylene glycols, acetone and dextrane Blue. The total permeation volume of the GFC system was 404 mL and the void volume 130 mL. The GFC molecular weight of the soil FA was in the range of 190~8,900 Dalton and the molecular weight at the peak on the chromatogram was 930 Dalton. The fluorescence intensity ratio ($I_{498nm}/I_{390nm}$) was found to be increased with an increasing molecular weight. This results may suggest that the fulvic acid fractions with high molecular weight have large amount of the condensed aromatic compound.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.283-291
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• 2003

Humic and fulvic acids present in soils of different depth were extracted and their acidic functional groups and structural characteristics were analyzed and compared. The purpose of this study was to present a basic data needed to evaluate the effect of humic substances on depth distribution and migrational behaviour of radioactive elements deposited on soil. Acidic functional groups of the humic and fulvic acids were analyzed by pH titration method, and their proton exchange capacity (PEC, $mq\;g^{-1}$) and average $pK_a$ values were obtained. Structural characteristics of the humic and fulvic acids were analyzed using their CPMAS $^{13}C$ NMR spectra and elemental composition data. pH titration data showed that fulvic acids have higher acidic functional group contents ranging from 5.5 to $7.0meq\;g^{-1}$ compared with that of humic acids ($3.8{\sim}4.8meq\;g^{-1}$). From depth profiles, it has been found that PEC values of humic acids in deeper soil (> 8 cm) were higher than those at the surface soils. Elemental compositions (H/C ratio) and spectral features ($C_{arom}/C_{aliph}$ ratio) obtained from CPMAS $^{13}C$ NMR spectra showed that the aromatic character in humic acids was a relatively higher than that of fulvic acids, while lower in carboxyl carbon content. The aromatic character and carboxyl carbon contents of humic acids tend to increase as soil depth increased, but those of fulvic acid showed little differences by the soil depth range.