CHEMICAL EXTRACTION OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES USING ...

Natural resources are a gift to any nation. The article focused on demonstrating that natural materials hold the potential to generate income for any nation. The study tested the potential and efficiency of crude resins from indigenous plants in the extraction of humic substances from soil. The points of zero charge of crude resins from five plants (Anarcadiumoccidentale, Bowswellia sacra, magniferaindica, Euphorbia tiricalli, and Haveabraziliensis) were determined using potentiometric method (batch titration method). Batch experiments of resin (solid) – solution system was used to extract the humic substances. The results revealed that with the exception of Bowswellia sacra, resins from the other plants have the potential to extract humic acid and fulvic acid. Adsorption efficiency studies indicated that the plant resin with the highest efficiency of extraction (83.88%) for humic acid is Euphorbia tiricalli. And for fulvic acid the highest efficiency (77.29%) is Anarcadiumoccidentale. No net adsorption was noted for Bowswellia sacra for HA and FA. Knowledge of the point of zero charge of the resins enhanced our understanding and provided a potential alternative method of extracting commercial grade HA and FA from soil, to generate income for poverty alleviation.