Comparative evaluation of methods employing alkali and sodium pyrophosphate to extract humic substances from peat

Abstract

Humic substances from two different types of peat ‐ Sphagnum and Carex ‐ were obtained by using either alkali extractants, O.IM NaOH, O.IM KOH, and 0.25M KOH, or solvents containing sodium pyrophosphate (O.IM Na₄P₂O₇, or O.IM NaOH/Na₄P₂O₇). The alkalis released considerably greater amounts of humic substances from the Sphagnum peat than the extractants containing pyrophosphate, whereas the opposite occurred in the Carex peat, the two greatest yields being obtained with 0.25M KOH in Sphagnum peat and with O.IM NaOH/Na₄P₂O₇ in Carex. As shown by the spectroscopic and chemical analyses, humic acids released from both peats by extractants containing Na₄P₂O₇ are generally more oxidized than those obtained by any of the alkali solutions. Also, humic acids extracted from the Sphagnum peat by any of the solvents generally exhibit lower molecular sizes, more pronounced aliphatic characteristics, and a higher degree of oxidation than those extracted from the Carex peat.

Results of gel permeation chromatography indicate that humic acids obtained from Sphagnum peat by either O.IM NaOH or O.IM KOH extraction show a similar distribution of molecular sizes with a predominance of compounds with a molecular weight greater than 50,000, whereas the use of 0.25M KOH enhances the release of partially degraded humic substances. Also, humic acids extracted from the same peat with 0.1M Na4P2O7 show a considerable amount of molecules of low molecular weight, but much fewer of these compounds are obtained when 0.1M NaOH/Na₄P₂O₇ extraction is employed. In Car ex peat, molecular size distribution does not seem to depend on the type of extractant used for solubilization of their humic acids.