title: High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of humic acid in environmental samples at the nanogram level using fluorescence detection.
abstract: A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of humic acid in environmental samples is presented. The humic acid is chromatographed as its sodium or calcium complex, eluting as a single, sharp peak. Coral skeletal matter, sea water, river water, soils and plant matter were successfully analysed. The detection limit is 15 ng. The relative standard deviation for a coral skeletal sample is 1.9%. Unusual chromatographic properties such as the occurrence of peak broadening with increased concentration appear to be due to a slow change in the equilibrium composition of humic acid. In solution, fulvic acid showed similar properties to humic acid.
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute of Marine Science, Queensland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Susic
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Boto
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006812:Humic Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010944:Plants / Q000032:analysis*; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006812:Humic Substances; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D000641:Ammonia