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The Origin of Humic Matter

Abstract

THE origin of the humic matter of coal, peat, and the soil has been the subject of controversy for many years. At present an increasing amount of support is being given to the hypothesis of Fischer and Schrader, who regard lignins as the parent substances of humic matter. The older view, according to which carbohydrates (notably cellulose) are primarily concerned in the production of humic matter, finds less support than formerly. Waksman has suggested that the humic matter of soils is a mixture of unchanged lignins with the organic substances derived from the life processes of micro-organisms.

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MARSHALL, C., PAGE, H. The Origin of Humic Matter. Nature 119, 393 (1927). https://doi.org/10.1038/119393a0

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