NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS AND SULPHUR CONTENTS OF HUMIC ACIDS FRACTIONATED WITH RESPECT TO MOLECULAR WEIGHT

Two humic acids, extracted from widely different soils, have been fractionated with respect to molecular weight by means of gel chromatography. The resulting fractions were assayed for total nitrogen, amino acid nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur. Nitrogen and phosphorus contents were greatest in the high molecular weight fractions and decreased considerably with decreasing humic acid molecular weight. The change in nitrogen content was accounted for mainly by the loss of amino acid nitrogen. By contrast, sulphur contents remained constant throughout the molecular weight range. These changes may reflect part of the process whereby nutrient elements, combined organically within humic acid, are made available for plant growth.