The microbial transformation of fungal mycelium as the predecessor of humic acids

This work includes investigation of microbial decomposition of fungal mycelium by pure and mixed bacteria cultures. The decomposition of mycelium is estimated according to CO₂ emission activity by gas chromatography and the change in the quantity of bacterial cells by luminescence microscopy. A comparative stability of fungal melanin to microbial destruction is found. It is shown that fungal mycelium was decomposed first mainly by a native complex of microorganisms and later by gram-positive bacteria. In two months of laboratory work, the fungal biomass decomposed by 25–37%. The results of our research verify the possibility of including melanin in humic acids.