Molecular Signatures of Humic Acids from Different Sources as Revealed by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Humic acid (HA) is extremely important for understanding the geochemical cycle of pollutants in different environments. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) has performed molecular-level analysis of two standard HAs from the Suwannee River (SRHA) and leonardite (LE...

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Main Authors: Shuai Qin, Chengbin Xu, Yingzi Xu, Yingchen Bai, Fei Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Journal of Chemistry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7171582
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author Shuai Qin
Chengbin Xu
Yingzi Xu
Yingchen Bai
Fei Guo
author_facet Shuai Qin
Chengbin Xu
Yingzi Xu
Yingchen Bai
Fei Guo
author_sort Shuai Qin
collection DOAJ
description Humic acid (HA) is extremely important for understanding the geochemical cycle of pollutants in different environments. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) has performed molecular-level analysis of two standard HAs from the Suwannee River (SRHA) and leonardite (LEHA) and HA from Jiufeng forest in Beijing (JFHA), which is impossible for other conventional instruments. Regardless of the source of HA, compounds containing more heteroatoms (such as nitrogen and sulfur) have a higher degree of unsaturation and aromaticity. JFHA, SRHA, and LEHA from soil, river, and leonardite, respectively, are arranged in order from the lowest to highest degree of humification, according to molecular unsaturation and aromaticity of HAs. Soil HA is more labile and contains many large molecular weight compounds with low unsaturation. Regardless of unsaturation, molecules of River HA have a homogeneous molecular mass distribution and contain many plant-derived lignin- and tannin-like compounds, which are more stable than lipid and more labile than condensed aromatics. Leonardite HA with a high degree of humification contains a large number of compounds with high aromaticity and more heteroatoms and has low lability. Our results reveal the diversity of humic acid at molecular level because of different degree of humification and the lability. These conclusions are significant for understanding the role of humic acid from different sources in pollutant transformation and the geochemical cycle at the molecular level.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2090-9063
2090-9071
language English
publishDate 2020-01-01
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record_format Article
series Journal of Chemistry
spelling doaj-art-ea1af02467ed4a90a19cfd2942fc8f0b2025-02-03T01:25:49ZengWileyJournal of Chemistry2090-90632090-90712020-01-01202010.1155/2020/71715827171582Molecular Signatures of Humic Acids from Different Sources as Revealed by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass SpectrometryShuai Qin0Chengbin Xu1Yingzi Xu2Yingchen Bai3Fei Guo4State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaSchool of Environmental Sciences, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaHumic acid (HA) is extremely important for understanding the geochemical cycle of pollutants in different environments. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) has performed molecular-level analysis of two standard HAs from the Suwannee River (SRHA) and leonardite (LEHA) and HA from Jiufeng forest in Beijing (JFHA), which is impossible for other conventional instruments. Regardless of the source of HA, compounds containing more heteroatoms (such as nitrogen and sulfur) have a higher degree of unsaturation and aromaticity. JFHA, SRHA, and LEHA from soil, river, and leonardite, respectively, are arranged in order from the lowest to highest degree of humification, according to molecular unsaturation and aromaticity of HAs. Soil HA is more labile and contains many large molecular weight compounds with low unsaturation. Regardless of unsaturation, molecules of River HA have a homogeneous molecular mass distribution and contain many plant-derived lignin- and tannin-like compounds, which are more stable than lipid and more labile than condensed aromatics. Leonardite HA with a high degree of humification contains a large number of compounds with high aromaticity and more heteroatoms and has low lability. Our results reveal the diversity of humic acid at molecular level because of different degree of humification and the lability. These conclusions are significant for understanding the role of humic acid from different sources in pollutant transformation and the geochemical cycle at the molecular level.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7171582
spellingShingle Shuai Qin
Chengbin Xu
Yingzi Xu
Yingchen Bai
Fei Guo
Molecular Signatures of Humic Acids from Different Sources as Revealed by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Journal of Chemistry
title Molecular Signatures of Humic Acids from Different Sources as Revealed by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry
title_full Molecular Signatures of Humic Acids from Different Sources as Revealed by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry
title_fullStr Molecular Signatures of Humic Acids from Different Sources as Revealed by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Signatures of Humic Acids from Different Sources as Revealed by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry
title_short Molecular Signatures of Humic Acids from Different Sources as Revealed by Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry
title_sort molecular signatures of humic acids from different sources as revealed by ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7171582
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AT chengbinxu molecularsignaturesofhumicacidsfromdifferentsourcesasrevealedbyultrahighresolutionmassspectrometry
AT yingzixu molecularsignaturesofhumicacidsfromdifferentsourcesasrevealedbyultrahighresolutionmassspectrometry
AT yingchenbai molecularsignaturesofhumicacidsfromdifferentsourcesasrevealedbyultrahighresolutionmassspectrometry
AT feiguo molecularsignaturesofhumicacidsfromdifferentsourcesasrevealedbyultrahighresolutionmassspectrometry