Paramagnetic Properties of Humic Substances in Taiga and Tundra Soils of the European Northeast of Russia

Abstract

The study of paramagnetic activity of humic substances in taiga and tundra soils of the Komi Republic and the assessment of the influence of soil hydromorphism on concentrations of free radicals in the structure of humic acids (HAs) and fulvic acids (FAs) have been performed. The concentration of free radicals in HA specimens was up to 11 times higher than that in FA specimens due to a higher content of aromatic and other condensed structures in HA molecules. This fact attests to the high capacity of HAs to polymerization and complexation reactions with participation of radicals. The average value of g-factor is higher for FA specimens than for HA specimens, which attests to a greater electron density shift of unpaired electron to oxygen atom in the structure of FAs because of its spin-orbital interaction with oxygen-containing functional groups, the concentrations of which are significantly higher in FAs than in HAs. An increase in the concentration of free radicals in the molecular structure of HAs is observed in taiga soils with an increase in the degree of their hydromorphism (from automorphic to semihydromorphic soils), which is related to the biohydrothermal conditions of humus formation in bog-podzolic soils with retarded biochemical processes and low degree of plant litter humification. As a result, HAs with the high content of free radicals in their structure are formed. An opposite situation is observed for HAs in tundra soils with a decrease in the content of unpaired electrons under conditions of the increased hydromorphism. The difference in the character of changes in the paramagnetic activity of HAs in taiga and tundra soils with different degrees of hydromorphism may be related to different natures of plant residues participating in humification processes. A tendency for a decrease in the paramagnetic activity in both HAs and FAs from the south to the north is observed, which may be related to a general decrease in the content of poly-conjugated systems in the structure of humic substances in tundra soils.