UPM Institutional Repository

Simple method of purifying humic acids isolated from tropical hemists (peat soil)


Citation

Kasim, Susilawati and Ahmed, Osumanu Haruna and Nik Ab. Majid, Nik Muhamad and Yusop, Mohd Khanif (2008) Simple method of purifying humic acids isolated from tropical hemists (peat soil). American Journal of Applied Sciences, 5 (12). pp. 1812-1815. ISSN 1546-9239; ESSN: 1554-3641

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: To investigate whether a purification period of HA isolated from Hemists peat soils could be reduced and to investigate whether distilled water could be used to purify HA isolated from Hemists peat soils. Standard procedures were used to extract and fractionate HA in a Hemists peat soil. The isolated HA was purified by suspending the HA 50 mL distilled water, centrifuged for 10 minutes, supernatant decanted and the liquor analyzed for K, Ca, Mg and Na by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The entire procedure was repeated five times after which the purified HA samples were oven dried at 40ºC to a constant weight. Washing HA for 5 consecutive times (10 min for each washing) reduced the ash (mineral matter) content of the HA to an acceptance level of 2%. This finding was associated with significant decrease in K, Ca, Mg and Na contents with increased washing time. This observation also suggests that the distilled water used during the purification process served as Bronsted-Lowry acid thereby donating more H+ which may have replaced some of K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Na+ at the exchange sites of the HA. The C, carboxylic COOH, phenolic OH, total acidity and E4/E6 values of the purified HA were consistent with standard values, a further indication of the effectiveness of using distilled water in purifying HA from Hemists peat soil. Humic acids isolated from Hemists peat soil can be purified within one hour using distilled water without altering the true nature of HA.


Download File

[img] PDF
ajassp.2008.1812.1815.pdf
Restricted to Repository staff only

Download (74kB)

Additional Metadata

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Faculty of Agriculture
Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences
DOI Number: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2008.1812.1815
Publisher: Science Publications
Keywords: Humic acids; Tropical peat soils; Humic substances isolation; Humic acids purification
Depositing User: Norhazura Hamzah
Date Deposited: 23 Jun 2010 03:15
Last Modified: 28 Nov 2017 10:02
Altmetrics: http://www.altmetric.com/details.php?domain=psasir.upm.edu.my&doi=10.3844/ajassp.2008.1812.1815
URI: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/7416
Statistic Details: View Download Statistic

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item