Centennial Honors College
Western Illinois University
Undergraduate Research Day 2012
Poster Presentation
Extraction of Humic Acid and Fulvic Acid from Native Prairie and Prairie
Restoration Soils in Illinois
Steven Wailand
Faculty Mentor: J. Scott McConnell
Chemistry
Living organisms, the atmosphere, non-living organic matter, certain minerals, and
dissolved gases have carbon as a fundamental component. Carbon readily
changes oxidation state as it cycles within the environment. The rapid rise in
atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased concerns about the role of carbon
dioxide regarding global warming. Atmospheric carbon dioxide might be reduced, if
carbon held in soils as organic matter is increased. Plants use atmospheric carbon
as carbon dioxide as their sole source of carbon. As plants grow, they accumulate
carbon. When plants die, plant tissue begins to oxidize to carbon dioxide. Some of
the carbon from the decaying plant tissue is retained in soils as organic matter.
Public efforts in Midwestern regions of the United States are focused on restoring
farmland to native prairie conditions, and should increase soil carbon content.
Investigations of native prairies, restored prairies and analogous control soils under
cultivation were conducted to determine intrinsic differences in soil carbon. Samples
were taken from five native prairies, five prairie restorations, and analogous tilled
farmland soils. The carbon contents of soil samples were fractioned into humic acid
and fulvic acid. Further, spectroscopic, research will be conducted to determine the
structural composition of the extracted humic and fulvic acid fractions.