A comparison of aggregation behavior in aqueous humic acids

Abstract

The ability of six humic acids (HAs) to form pseudomicellar structures in aqueous solution was evaluated by five techniques: size exclusion chromatography; pyrene fluorescence enhancement; the pyrene I1/I3 ratio; the cloud point of dilute HA solutions; and the fluorescence anisotropy of HAs. Soil HAs were found to aggregate most easily, both on microscopic and macroscopic scales. The formation of amphiphilic structures was chiefly related to HA-solvent interactions: highly solvated HAs aggregated poorly, while a lignite derived material underwent intermolecular, rather than intramolecular, rearrangements. A newly discovered algal HA was found to have minimal aggregative properties.