How is 'Humic Acid' separated from manure, peat etc on the farm?

Question

JNH, if that is so, what is 'humic acid' we get on the market?

Answer 1

Humic acid comes from the microbial degradation of plant and animal tissues and ultimately biomolecules (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, lignin) dispersed in the environment after the death of living cells. Humic material is a supramolecular structure of relatively small bio-organic molecules (having molecular mass <1000 Da) self-assembled mainly by weak dispersive forces such as Van der Waals force, π-π, and CH-π bonds into only apparently large molecular sizes. It is well known that humic substances are the most stable fraction of organic matter in soils and can persist for tens, hundreds or even thousands of years. Their dark color is due to quinone structures formed in the oxidative soil conditions which remain trapped in the humic hydrophobic domains.

On the commercial scale, humic acid is incorporated into chelating products and a biostimulant salt.

Answer 2

nerdrella is right. It would be so much cost for the equipment on farm to separate the Humic Acid from any waste manure, As a farmer I know of no one that has that on site..

Answer 3

The simple answer to your question is that Humic Acid is not separated from manure , peat, etc on the farm. It is added to the soil to form a complex of compounds called Humus, which is a highly beneficial organic addition to the soil.

Daniel B, I'm not telling you that Humic acid is not separated and for sale on the market.  I know that you can buy it, it is just that it is not chemically separated on the farm. I thought that was what you were asking.