Characterization of the Organic Matter of Humic Acids by Pyrolytic Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The results of the pyrolytic analysis of products of the organic matter of Sphagnum fuscum, fuscum peat, and humic acids separated from peat with the use of pyrolysis–chromatography–mass spectrometry in the Rock-Eval version are presented. It was shown that Sphagnum fuscum and peat differed only slightly in the degrees of chemical transformation. Benzene, phenol, and their alkyl-substituted homologues predominated in the thermal desorption products of humic acids upon pyrolysis to 400°C. Acetic acid, monohydric phenols, syringol, and guaiacol, which are the basic compounds in the high-temperature fraction, were formed on the pyrolysis humic acids to 700°C from the carbohydrate, phenylpropionic, and guaiacylpropane structural fragments.