EFFECT OF PERACETIC ACID OXIDATION ON N-CONTAINING COMPONENTS OF HUMIC MATERIALS

Abstract

Three humic and one fulvic acid were degraded by mild chemical oxidation with peracetic acid, with special emphasis on the effects of this type of oxidation on N-containing components. The different types of N that were considered were NH4+-N, amino acid-N, amino sugar-N, NO2−-N + NO3−-N, and by difference from total N, "unknown" N. The behaviour toward mild chemical oxidation of all four preparations was essentially similar: there were decreases in mino acid-N, amino sugar-N and "unknown" N, increases in NH4+-N, NO2−-N + NO3−-N with one material, and in N-gases. The "unknown" N was not inert. Between 16.6 and 59.1% of the latter appeared to be converted, as a result of mild chemical oxidation, to NH3 and N-gases which were expelled from the systems. The results presented provide an insight into what happens to N-containing humic components as a result of mild oxidation.