Characterization of humic acids from Kuye Son Soil

Abstract

Three humic acids, two from uranium bearing coal shale and one from the neighbouring limey shale region, are extracted from soils by dissolution in 0.1 M NaOH followed by acid precipitation. After purification cycles, they are characterized for their elemental composition, contents of inorganic impurities, molecular size distribution and proton exchange capacities. The results are compared with the data of reference and aquatic humic acids characterized under the project MIRAGE II at TUM and also with other literature data. The proton exchange capacity determined by direct titration, is found to be 3.60 and 2.01 meq/g for coal shale and limey shale humic acids, respectively.