I. KOMISSAROV, M. SARTAKOV AND E. OSNITSKY
Abstract
The article reveals the results of studies of the electronic spectra of humic acids for various typesand kinds of peats in the middle-taiga zone of Western Siberia (Khanty-Mansiysk AutonomousDistrict of Yugra). It was found that the increase in optical density is observed in samples of humicacids that were extracted from the peat with a high degree of decomposition (40-65%). Although themethod of electronic spectroscopy is an important tool in the study of humification processes inpeats, it has a limited informative value due to unresolved spectra; however, it is a substantialaddition and ties in well with the results of the element composition and resonance and thermalmethods of humic acid analysis. Thus, peat humic acids with various botanical composition andvarious degree of decomposition are characterized by similar absorption spectra in the visible areain the form of a monotone increasing of absorption in short wavelength interval and differ fromeach other only by the absorption intensity.