Humic substances, the remarkable brown biomaterials in animals, coals, plants, sediments, soils and waters, are crucial components of the carbon cycle and other life processes. Thus greater knowledge and understanding of these versatile materials is of great importance to the productivity, health and safety of the world's ecosystems, humans, land and water. Presenting the best and most recent research in this important area, this book focuses on the molecular and chemical aspects of humic substances, with sophisticated analytical, chemical and physical techniques providing vital information. Areas covered include spectroscopy, modelling, mobility, properties and analysis of humic substances. Humic Substances: Structures, Models and Functions will be welcomed by researchers and professionals in academia, industry and government agencies worldwide, particularly where the science of humic substances finds applications, such as environmental remediation and sustainable agriculture.

Humic substances are ubiquitous in the environment. These remarkable brown biomaterials are found in animals, plants, coals, sediments, soils and water. They are crucial components of the carbon cycle and other life processes. Humic Substances: Nature's Most Versatile Materials contains a compilation of papers presented at the 2002 Humic Substances Seminar and will keep humic substances scientists up to date with the latest research.

Present in soil and water, humic substances are the most widespread organic compounds, naturally occurring from a physical, chemical, and microbiological transformation of biomolecules. They represent about 25% of the total organic carbon on the Earth and comprise up to 75% of the dissolved organic carbon in water, making them important for multiple environmental processes in both soil and aquatic systems. Despite many decades of extensive study, the formation mechanisms of humic substances are still a subject of discussion and controversy. This book examines the dynamics of humic substances, their physicochemical and biological properties, and methods for their extraction and characterization. The book also sheds light on recent advances and applications of humic substances in agriculture, environment, industry, and medicine.

This book is an introduction and guide to the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for the study of humic materials and coals. It provides a general discussion of the application of liquid-state and solid-state NMR techniques.

Humic substances occur in all kinds of aquatic systems, but are particularly important in northern, coniferous areas. They strongly modify the aquatic ecosystems and also constitute a major problem in the drinking water supply. This volume covers all aspects of aquatic humic substances, from their origin and chemical properties, their effects on light and nutrient regimes and biogeochemical cycling, to their role regarding organisms, productivity and food web organization from bacteria to fish. Special emphasis is paid to carbon cycling and food web organization in humic lakes, but aspects of marine carbon cycling related to humus are treated as well.

This book highlights the increasing importance of humic substances in the different scientific fields related to terrestrial ecology, soil quality conservation, and environmental chemistry. It shows that modern humic substances research is not only directed to unravel their yet ill-defined chemical structure but is successfully exploring the interconnected chemical, biological, and physical processes that maintain the ecological equilibrium of soil and ensure a sustainable agricultural production. The book will primarily be of interest to soil scientists and to ecological and environmental scientists. People in the fields of forest science, agronomy, analytical and environmental chemistry, water science, environmental engineering, and coal science will also find this publication worthy of their attention.

Based on the contributions given at a leading international conference, this volume concentrates on developments in the environmentally-friendly disposal of sludges and on the reawakened interest in composting which has emerged as a result of significant European directives.

The only book to completely define and explore the genesis, extraction, properties, and impact of humic matter on agriculture, industry, and the environment, Humic Matter in Soil and the Environment delves into the issues and controversies associated with produced and natural humic compounds. It assesses the role of humic substances in medicines, f

The first comprehensive account of these important environmental interactions, this book describes the binding reactions, how they can be mathematically modelled, and how this knowledge is used to interpret environmental phenomena in soils, waters and sediments. A valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, environmental scientists, ecologists and geochemists.

This work contains results of the latest studies on the composition, structure and properties of humic substances, which are the largest and most important component of organic matter of different types of soils. It should be useful for soil scientists and nature conservationists.