The diploma thesis deals with lignitic humic acids. Bibliographic search can be divided into three parts. The aim of the first part is characterization of humic substances, presence, composition, structure and exploitation especially of humic acids. The second part describes a division of heterogeneous mixture of humic acids into closed fractions with more specific properties. The final part is a study of solubility of humic acids. The experimental part of the diploma thesis is structured similarly. In this work, a gradual fractionation with pH is used. Obtained fractions were characterized by UV/VIS and FT-IR spectroscopy. We assessed the portion of ash and carboxyl groups have been identified. Subsequently, all fractions extracted by gradual fractionation as well as some soluble fractions obtained by direct fractionation have been analyzed in view of solubility and their behaviour in water environment. Both used methods were compared.

Tato práce se zabývá chováním huminových kyselin ve vodných roztocích a to především jejich disociací a rozpustností. Disociace huminových kyselin byla studovaná jejich částečným rozpuštěním ve vodě a v roztocích solí o různých iontových silách. Analyzované huminové kyseliny pocházely jak z lignitických tak i půdních zdrojů a jedna z nich byla upravena plazmatem. Metodami použitými při experimentech byla potenciometrie, konduktomerie a UV/VIS spektroskopie. Podle Henderson-Hasselbalchovy závislosti byly vypočítány zdánlivé disociační konstanty. Dále byly určeny zdánlivé aktivitní koeficienty kyselých funkčních skupin. Poté byla studovaná rozpustnost huminových kyselin ve vodných roztocích solí. Byly sestrojeny závislosti pH hodnot, vodivostí a absorbancí jak na obsahu huminových kyselin ve vzorku tak na iontové síle roztoku. Studována byla také kinetika disociace huminových kyselin. Získaná data byla srovnána s navrženou hypotézou předpokládající několikakrokový mechanismus disociace huminových kyselin. Chovaní všech vzorků huminových kyselin odpovídalo navrženému mechanismu. Bylo potvrzeno, že stupeň disociace huminových kyselin ve vodných roztocích klesá s rostoucím obsahem huminové kyseliny stejně tak jako ve vodných roztocích solí s rostoucí iontovou silou.

Hlavním cílem diplomové práce byla studie vlivu huminových kyselin a jejich solí na termooxidační stabilitu a degradabilitu polyvinylalkoholu (PVA). Pro tento účel byla využita metoda termogravimetrie. Bylo prokázáno, že nízké koncentrace huminových kyselin způsobily zvýšení stability zkoumaného PVA. Naopak, vyšší koncentrace měly pouze slabý stabilizační efekt a v některých případech přítomnost huminových kyselin vedla dokonce k destabilizaci PVA. V další části byla upravena životnost polymerního materiálu pomocí gama záření. Získané výsledky naznačovaly, že přítomnost amonných a sodných solí způsobila značnou stabilizaci polymeru ve srovnání s čistým PVA a dokonce ukazovaly stabilizační efekt i po dlouhodobé expozici gama záření. Posledním úkolem bylo zhodnotit efekt stárnutí na směsi PVA a huminových kyselin popřípadě jejich solí. Žádné další chemické reakce v těchto směsích nebyly zaznamenány, tudíž možno konstatovat, že připravený materiál vykazoval konstantní fyzikální vlastnosti během celého, několika měsíčního experimentu.

Humic acids have high ability to form stable complexes with copper ions, which influences their toxicity in environment. Fluorescent properties of sodium salt of humic acid, humate, isolated from South Moravian lignite, and its complexation behaviour with copper ions were investigated using emission, excitation and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. Both fluorescence emission and synchronous fluorescence spectra showed that humate form complex with copper since fluorescence intensity was quenched upon addition of copper ions to the humate samples. The aim of the diploma thesis was to found applicable ion concentration to observation fluorescence quenching and to determine the main fluorophore, which is affected by complexation through the use of synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy.

Humic acids are natural substances belonging to the group of humic substances. They arise mainly decomposition of plant residues. They are contained in soils, peat, sediments, young coal, water and even in the air. Humic acids are only partially soluble in water with increasing pH increases their solubility. Diploma thesis focuses on the use of chronopotentiometric titration of humic research. This method is mainly used for the determination of trace concentrations of analytes. This work is focused on the determination of acidity by potentiometric titration and the determination of dissociation constants using chronopotentiometry with measurement of pH of prepared samples.

This diploma thesis is focused on development and characterization of synthetic hydrogel materials containing humic acids. Based on the literature review, procedure for the preparation of synthetic superabsorbent containing humic acids was designed and optimized in order to maintain required functionality of the resulting materials, such as swelling abilities and to the controlled the release of humic substances. Very important part of this work was also characterization of superabsorbents by wide range of routine physic-chemical methods (rheometry, moisture analyzers, FT-IR). Preparation of these materials is aimed to their use in agriculture and in the environment.

This diploma thesis deals with application of microencapsulation techniques in development of hydrogel controlled-release systems in which the main role is played by humic acids, biopolymer chitosan, compound fertilizer NPK and 3-indoleacetic acid. This paper continues my bachelor thesis topic about utilization of polyelectrolyte complexes. The aim of this work was to develop a literature review focusing on the microencapsulation techniques and according to its results optimize the method. Microencapsulation was performed with a commercial encapsulator BUSCHI B-395 Pro and a release of individual components into a water was measured. An amout of released substances was measured by UV-VIS method and HPLC analysis. Practical part also included testing of repeated swelling and drying. It was found that suitable composition and combination of ingredients form hydrogels for further use in agriculture.

Humic substances are reported to improve plant growth and nutrient uptake, with iron the most studied nutrient. The most common forms of iron in soils are iron oxides, which are stable under aerobic conditions and unavailable for plant uptake. Iron deficient plants become chlorotic, which reduces growth and yield. To determine if humic substances can reduce iron chlorosis, five commercially available organic acids were tested on maize grown in sand columns at high pH. The dry granular humic acid from Aldrich Chemical Company applied at 84.4 g/liter of sand by volume (5% by mass) and 1 g/liter added with irrigation water, significantly reduced iron chlorosis (p

Lithium, together with hydrogen and helium, were the only elements formed duringthe big bang. Lithium today, is a component in various products, some examples aregrease, ceramics, lithium-ion batteries and medication for bipolar disorder. Eventhough the knowledge of lithium’s interactions with biota and our environment islimited, the use of lithium is increasing. In humans, lithium is primarily absorbed in thesmall intestine through Na-channels. The average daily intake varies a lot, but in1985 it was estimated to range from 650 to 3100 μg for a 70 kg adult, according tointernational studies. However, it is not considered as a micronutrient and does nothave a recommended daily intake. Levels in some drinking waters are estimated toreach 170 μg L-1but no definite limit values are set. Humic substances are omnipresent in soil and freshwaters and is well known to formcomplexes with various cations such as most metals. In plants, the complexation ofcadmium and zinc with humic substances decreases their toxicity. However,currently, no studies have been published regarding if this is valid for animal cells aswell. To investigate if this is the case, in vitro tests were performed on Caco-2 cells,which originate from a colon carcinoma. These cells were exposed to a lithium concentration of 10 μg L-1in a nutrient medium for 2 hours. To a series of thesamples, humic acid was added to give a final concentration of 9.86 μg L-1 in thesolution to investigate if that would influence the lithium uptake. The study also includes a methodological evaluation if the performance of microplasma atomic emission spectroscopy (MP-AES) is suitable for the analyses of heavymatrices, e.g. nutrient medium and 1% Triton X solution. After optimization of instrumental parameters, it was concluded that MP-AES can beused for analysis of heavy and complex matrices. It requires, however, the use ofmatrix matched calibration solutions and addition of caesium as ionization buffer incombination with lithium signal correction using internal standards. It is alsoconcluded that lithium is absorbed by Caco-2 cells and that there was no indicationthat humic acid altered this uptake. / Litium är en viktig komponent in många produkter, bland annat smörjmedel, keramik,litium-jonbatterier och medicin mot bipolär sjukdom. Även fast dagens kunskap omlitium och dess interaktioner med miljö och organismer är begränsad, ökaranvändandet av litium. I människor absorberas litium primärt i tunntarmen genomNa-kanaler. Det dagliga intaget av litium varierar geografiskt och med livsstil och detfinnas inga bestämda gränsvärden. I USA var det dagliga intaget av litium 1985uppskattat att ligga kring 650 till 3100 μg hos en vuxen som väger 70 kg. Humusämnen är väl kända för att bilda komplex med flertalet metaller. I växter hardet påvisats att humusämnen kan bilda komplex med kadmium och zink vilketminskar toxiciteten av dessa för växten. Inga studier har dock hittats gällandehumusämnens eventuella möjligheter att minska toxiciteten av litium, eller andrametaller, hos djur eller människor. För att undersöka detta närmare har denna studiegjorts för att få ökad förståelse kring absorptionen av litium till Caco-2 celler samt föratt se om närvaro av humussyra kan påverka ett eventuellt upptag. Vidare presenteras resultat från en metodologisk utvärdering om MP-AES kananvändas för att kvantifiera litium i tyngre matriser, såsom näringsmedium för celleroch Triton X-100. Resultaten visar att MP-AES kan användas för dessa matriser genom att användamatrismatchade kalibreringslösningar och cesium som jonisationshämmare ikombination med korrigering av litiumsignalen med hjälp av signalen från internstandard. Sammanfattningsvis så absorberar Caco-2 celler litium och ingenindikation på att humusämnen påverkar detta upptag kunde hittas.

Anthropogenic activities such as uranium mining and milling, nuclear weapons production, and nuclear reprocessing have left a legacy of groundwater and soil contaminated with uranium that needs to be addressed. Therefore, developing new remediation technologies to sequester uranium in situ is crucial. The objective of the study was to determine if low-cost commercially available unrefined humic substances, such as Huma-K, can be used to facilitate uranium sorption to minerals in soil and sediment. Sediments from the saturated zone beneath the F-Area seepage basins at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina were used for the present study. The SRS site is analogous to many contaminated locations where groundwater acidity enhances uranium and other contaminants mobility. First, a variety of techniques were applied to characterize Huma-K and SRS sediment. Characterization studies showed that Huma-K possesses functional groups that have an acidic nature such as carboxyl and phenol groups. For SRS sediment, a mineral composition of mainly quartz (93.2%), kaolinite (5.1%), and goethite (1.1%) was identified. Second, the interactions between Huma-K and SRS sediment were investigated through batch experiments. Sorption, homogeneous precipitation, and surfaced-induced precipitation were observed to be enhanced at pH 4. However, Huma-K removal from solution decreased with an increase of pH. The sorption behavior was not able to be described by any of the models employed (pseudo-first, pseudo-second, Langmuir, and Freundlich). Third, the interactions between uranium and SRS sediment with and without Huma-K amendment were investigated. In acidic conditions (pH 3-5), the sorption capacity of SRS sediment amended with Huma-K was significantly increased compared to plain sediment. At circumneutral conditions, uranium removal from solution decreased for SRS sediment amended with Huma-K, compared with plain sediments, likely as a result of the formation of aqueous uranium-humic complexes. In summary, the results from the present study suggest that Huma-K, and likely other unrefined humate products, has the characteristics and effects necessary to be suitable for subsurface injection to remediate uranium in acidic groundwater conditions. The treatment zone will persist as long as the pH does not increase sufficiently to cause soil-bound Huma-K to be released, remobilizing uranium.