Khumate S100 (Australia)
HUMIC SUBSTANCES
Humic substances are the components of humus and as such are high molecular weight compounds that together form the brown to black hydrophilic, molecularly flexible, polyelectrolytes called humus. Many of the components of humus are heterogenous, relatively large stable organic complexes. They function to give the soil structure, porosity, water holding capacity, cation and anion exchange, and are involved in the chelation of mineral elements.
HUMIC ACIDS (HAs)
Humic acids (HAs) comprise a mixture of weak aliphatic (carbon chains) and aromatic (carbon rings) organic acids which are not soluble in water under acid conditions but are soluble in water under alkaline conditions. Humic acids consist of that fraction of humic substances that are precipitated from aqueous solution when the pH is decreased below 2.
Humic acids (HAs) are termed polydisperse because of their variable chemical features. From a three dimensional aspect these complex carbon containing compounds are considered to be flexible linear polymers that exist as random coils with cross linked bonds. On average, 35% of the humic acid (HA) molecules are aromatic (carbon rings), while the remaining components are in the form of aliphatic (carbon chains) molecules.
The molecular size of humic acids (HAs) range from approximately 10,000 to 100,000. Humic acid (HA) polymers readily bind clay minerals to form stable organic clay complexes. Peripheral pores in the polymer are capable of accommodating (binding) natural and synthetic organic chemicals in a lattice (clathrate) type arrangements.
Humic acids (HAs) readily form salts with inorganic trace mineral elements. An analysis of extracts of naturally occurring humic acids (HAs) will reveal the presence of over 60 different mineral elements present. These trace elements are bound to humic add molecules in a form that can be readily utilized by various living organisms. As a result humic acids (HAs) function as important ion exchange and metal complexing (chelating) systems.
What is the HUMIN-ing of this?
Humins are that fraction of humic substances which are not soluble in alkali (high pH) and are not soluble in acid (low pH). Humins are not soluble in water at any pH.
Humins present within the soil is the most resistant to decomposition (slow to breakdown) of all the humic substances. Some of the main functions of humins within the soil are to improve the soil's water holding capacity, to improve soil structure, to maintain soil stability, to function as an cation exchange system, and to generally improve soil fertility.
Humin is a key component of fertile soils.
FULVIC ACIDS (FAs)
Fulvic acids (FAs) are a mixture of weak aliphatic and aromatic organic acids which are soluble in water at all pH conditions (acidic, neutral and alkaline). Their composition and shape is quite variable. The size of fulvic acids (HFs) are smaller than humic adds (HAs), with molecular weights which range from approximately 1,000 to 10,000. Fulvic acids (FAs) have an oxygen content twice that of humic acids (HAs). They have many carboxyl ( COOH) and hydroxyl ( COH) groups, thus fulvic acids (FAs) are much more chemically reactive. The exchange capacity of fulvic acids (FAs) is more than double that of humic acids (HAs). This high exchange capacity is due to the total number of carboxyl ( COOH) groups present. The number of carboxyl groups present in fulvic acids (FAs) ranges from 520 to 1120 cmol (H+)/kg. Fulvic acids collected from many different sources and analyzed, show no evidence of methoxy groups ( CH3) groups, they are low in phenols, and are less aromatic compared to humic acids from the same sources.
Because of the relatively small size of fulvic acid (FA) molecules they can readily enter plant roots, stems, and leaves. As they enter these plant parts they carry trace minerals from plant surfaces into plant tissues. Fulvic acids (FAs) are key ingredients of high quality foliar fertilizers. Foliar spray applications containing fulvic acid (FA) mineral chelates, at specific plant growth stages, can be used as a primary production technique for maximizing the plants productive capacity. Once applied to plant foliage fulvic acids (FAs) transport trace minerals directly to metabolic sites in plant cells. Fulvic acids (FAs) are the most effective carbon containing chelating compounds known. They are plant compatible, thus non toxic, when applied at relatively low concentrations.
