Abstract

CAMPITELLI, P. A.; VELASCO, M. I.  and  CEPPI, S.B.. CHARGE DEVELOPMENT AND ACID-BASE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOIL AND COMPOST HUMIC ACIDS. J. Chil. Chem. Soc. [online]. 2003, vol.48, n.3, pp.91-96. ISSN 0717-9707.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-97072003000300018.

In previous works, the acid-base properties, charging behavior and chemical heterogeneity of humic substances have been studied using different mathematical equations to fit the experimental data. The objective of this research is to study the charge behavior, acid-base properties and analyze the chemical heterogeneity of humic acids (HA) extracted from soil and composted municipal solid waste by potentiometric titrations. The humic acids extracted from compost have some characteristics and behavior similar to those obtained from soil. The negative charge development of HA extracted from composted material are lower than those extracted from soil and increase as ionic strength increase. The amount of carboxylic groups is lower in compost HA than in soil HA The heterogeneity of HA extracted from compost is higher than those extracted from soil. As the time of composting period increase the humification processes that take place trends to produce compost HA that has similar characteristics to soil HA. We suggest that HA extracted from composted material are macromolecules "like soil humic acids", i.e. "humiclike fraction"

Keywords : compost; humic acids; charge development; acid-base characteristics.