Humic acids (HA) make up an important component of soil humus related to the maintenance of soil water-holding capacity, stabilization of soil structure and fertility and vital activity of soil micro-organisms, plants and animals. Additionally, obtaining humic substances (HS) from vermicompost has shown to be a promising alternative for large scale use in agriculture. Humic substances (HS) are also major components of natural organic matter (NOM) in soil and water as well as in geological organic deposits. This book includes chapters on vermicompost-derived liquid humus in low-input and small-scale farming; the production of liquid organic fertilizers enriched with humic substances from olive mill wastes; mechanisms of protective action of the HUMI preparation on wheat plant response to toxic ions; the application of surface-enhanced Raman scattering and fluorescence spectroscopy on silver plasmonic nanoparticles as innovative techniques to study humic substances; the complexation of metal ions with humus substances in soils and water and the final chapter examines the natural organic matter in drinking water.

Humic Substances color all waters more or less brown. Their concentrations exceed all carbon of living organisms by at least one order of magnitude. Opposite to former paradigms, they participate in almost any metabolic pathway. They protect against UV-irradation, enable indirect photolysis and, thus, purify hazardous chemicals, they provide inorganic and organic nutrients, may form cryptic genes with DNA and dampen metabolic fluctuations. More recently they can increase adverse effects of hazardous chemicals and they can directly interfere with organisms. The book tries to relate effects to structural features.

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 volume uses a molecular approach to bring the reader up to date with research into the structure and properties of these unusual materials. Agricultural and environmental scientists will find its coverage of HS use for soil remediation and enhancement and in water purification as alternatives to conventional methods invaluable.

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.

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.

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.