Abstract
The origin and structure of the dissolved blue-fluorescent yellow organic substances (Gelbstoff) in seawater have long eluded characterization1. The fact that this class of organic matter, which comprises 10–50% of the organic carbon in the sea2, became known as marine humus (fulvic and humic acids) has led to much confusion because of the implied relationship with soil humus3. Based on chemical and spectral studies of oceanic and coastal humus we recently proposed a class structure and a mechanism by which these marine humic substances could form2. The hypothesis was that they are water soluble, aliphatic organic acids formed by the autoxidative cross-linking of two or more unsatur-ated lipids released into seawater. We have now confirmed that hypothesis by allowing pure marine lipids and a diatom to autoxidize in seawater in the laboratory. We report here that the yellow substances obtained are similar in all respects to marine humus.
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References
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Harvey, G., Boran, D., Piotrowicz, S. et al. Synthesis of marine humic substances from unsaturated lipids. Nature 309, 244–246 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/309244a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/309244a0
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