Fluorescence of soil humic acids and their fractions obtained by tandem size exclusion chromatography–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Humic acids (HAs) extracted from soils of different origin (chernozem, ferralsol and ranker) and their fractions (A, B and C+D) obtained by tandem size exclusion chromatography–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were investigated by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy in the emission mode. Independently of HA source, high molecular size fractions A and B are shown to be weakly fluorescent. The main fluorophores, especially those emitting at long wavelength (around 500–510 nm), are contained in the polar and low molecular size fractions C+D. As indicated by the observed pH effect, aromatic structures bearing carboxylate and OH substituents may be involved in these longer wavelength emissions.