Amino acids present in humic acids from soils under different cultivations

• Published in: Environment international Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 331 - 334
• Main Authors: Szajdak, Lech, Österberg, Ragnar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Amino acids; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Organic matter; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Q1; Soil science; Grassland; Soil tillage; Microbial biomass; Aminoacid; Cultivated soil; Humic acid
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/0160-4120(96)00019-0

The composition of bound amino acids in humic acids (HA) prepared from two kinds of soils was investigated: one from a meadow and another from a plowed area. The sample from the plowed area contained a 7% higher concentration of total bound amino acids as compared to that of the meadow. In both samples, the amino acids having a neutral net charge at pH 7 showed the highest concentrations. ‘Basic’ amino acids with a positive pH 7 net charge, on the other hand, had the lowest concentrations. In both HA samples, glutamic acid, glycine, alanine, and valine dominated. The lysine and β-alanine concentrations were higher in the meadow sample indicating a higher microbial biomass, since these two amino acids are typical constituents of the bacterial cell walls.