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Updated: May 9, 2026

Quantification of Humic and Fulvic Acids in Humate Ores, DOC, Humified Materials and Humic Substance-Containing Commercial Products
Published on: March 18, 2022
Cr(VI) reduction capability of humic acid extracted from the organic component of municipal solid waste
Barbara Scaglia1, Fulvia Tambone, Fabrizio Adani
1Gruppo Ricicla, Dipartimento di Science Agrarie e Ambientali: Produzione, Territorio, Agroenergia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2 Milano 20133, Italy. barbara.scaglia@unimi.it
Abstract:
The capacity of humic acid extracted from organic waste (HAw) to reduce Cr(VI) was tested at pH 2.5, 4 and 6 and compared with coal-derived humic acid (HAc). HAw was more effective than HAc in reducing Cr(VI). The kinetics of Cr(VI) reductions depended strongly on pH. The calculation of the apparent rate coefficients indicated that HAw was more efficient at reducing Cr(VI) than HAc, but was also more efficient than HAs from soil and peat. The reduction capability of HAs depends on the type of functional groups (i.e., thiols and phenols) present, rather than the free radicals. HAw was more efficient at reducing Cr(VI) than HAc because more reactive phenols were present, i.e., methoxy- and methyl-phenols.
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