Influence of intimate association with humic polymers on biodegradation of [C]labeled organic substrates in soil

A variety of ¹⁴C]labeled organic compounds and microbial products were incubated in soil alone or intimately associated with humic acid-type polymers achieved by freeze-drying mixed solutions of the polymers and ¹⁴C]labeled compounds at pH 6. The association of Chlorella protein with the polymers reduced mineralization over 12 weeks by 41%. Similarly decomposition of cysteine and Anabaena flos-aqua cytoplasm was reduced by 26% and glycine 16%. Tyrosine, lysine, aspartic acid, serine, cytosine, glucose, ferulic acid. also polysaccharides of Leuconostoc dextranicus, Azotobacter indicus, Hansenula holstii and Anabaena flos-aqua, as well as cells and cell walls of A. flos-aqua decomposed just or almost as readily when intimately associated with humic polymers as when added alone to the soils. The association with humic polymers did not influence the distribution of residual activity in humic acid, fulvic acid and extracted soil following incubation.