Abstract
Various hypotheses have been put forward concerning the origin of aliphatic moieties in humic substances. In this paper we consider the possibility of a direct contribution of various classes of aliphatic moieties, occurring in extant organisms, to humic substances. On the basis of their resistance against chemical and biological degradation, it is speculated that recently discovered insoluble, non-hydrolyzable aliphatic biopolymers in algal cell walls and the protective layers of higher terrestrial plants are, via a mechanism of selective preservation, major precursors of aliphatic moieties in humic substances. | 2 pages, 11 figures, 1 table, 60 references. | This work was supported by the Netherlands Foundation for Earth Science Research
(AWON) with financial aid from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific
Research (NWO), and the C.S.I.C. and C.A.I.C.Y.T., Spain (project 781).