ИСТИНА

Humic substances are natural organic compounds, formed during the transformation of dead biomass in natural environments: soils, peat, fossils (lignite), bottom sediments, natural waters and organic wastes. They are organic polymers of irregular structure, and their chemical and physical properties, as well as biological activity depend on composition of biomass and conditions of humification. Commercial humic products (HPs) manufactured from various humic resources are being increasingly used in agriculture and environmental technologies. The key factor influencing their chemical properties and biological activity is the organic matter genesis; therefore there is a need for diagnostic criteria for distinguishing between their organic matter sources. The objective of this study was to determine indicators using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in combination with derivative spectroscopy that might serve as advanced, fast and relatively inexpensive tools to compare HPs from various environments as bulk materials and their humic acids (HA) fractions.