It is interesting to see the biodegradation of natural biomass into humic substance. However, I am not sure about the stability of fulvic acid, which is a soluble natural organic matter. Does anyone have any idea about the life cycle of such NOMs?
Thanks!
Fulvic acid might be used as sole carbon source and degraded by some fungi. See e.g., Gryndler et al. (2003) Folia Microbiologica 48:76
Fulvic acids are also easily photodegraded into CO2 and small organic acids. See, e.g.:
Moran, M. A.; Sheldon W.M, Jr.; Zepp, R. G., Carbon loss and optical property changes during long-term photochemical and biological degradation of estuarine dissolved organic matter. Limnol. Oceanogr. 2000, 45, (6), 1254-1264.
Bushaw, K. L.; Zepp, R. G.; Tarr, M. A.; Schulz-Jander, D.; Bourbonniere, R. A.; Hodson, R. E.; Miller, W. L.; Bronk, D. A.; Moran, M. A., Photochemical release of biologically available nitrogen from aquatic dissolved organic matter. Nature 1996, 381, (6581), 404-407.
Miller, W. L.; Zepp, R. G., Photochemical production of dissolved inorganic carbon from terrestrial organic matter: significance to the oceanic organic carbon cycle. Geophysical Research Letters 1995, 22, (4), 417-420.
or
Paul, A.; Hackbarth, S.; Vogt, R. D.; Röder, B.; Burnison, B. K.; Steinberg, C. E. W., Photogeneration of singlet oxygen by humic substances: comparison of humic substances of aquatic and terrestrial origin. Photochem. Photobiol. Sci. 2004, 3, (3), 273–280.
Paul, A.; Dziallas, C.; Zwirnmann, E.; Gjessing, E. T.; Grossart, H. P., UV irradiation of natural organic matter (NOM): impact on organic carbon and bacteria. Aquat. Sci. 2012, 74, (3), 443–454.