Melanoidins as Model Humic Acids in Radioecological Research

Natural humic acids are instable and chemically not well defined chemical systems. It is difficult to accurately describe their physical-chemical properties. Therefor, studies of the interaction between humic acids and heavy metals, including uranium and other actinide elements, are often limited by this fact. For systematic studies of the interaction processes, stable and wellcharacterized humic acid model compounds have been suggested.
We have separated humic-acid-like fractions with good chemical stability from synthetic melanoidins. It is possible to design the functionality of these melanoidins by varying their precursor substances and the conditions of the synthesis.
Furthermore, we have compared different melanoidins and their interaction with UO₂ ²⁺ with the behavior of a commercial natural humic acid (Aldrich) jby infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The investigation reveals many functional similarities between the melanoidins and the natural humic acid. Comparable symmetric deformation vibrations of uranium in the far infrared range (FIR) indicate similar uranium coordination. In the middle infrared range (MIR), the antisymmetric stretching vibrations of the bound uranium are nearly identical.
In connection with other investigations we have shown, that the melanoidins are excellent humic acid model substances for fundamental radioexological research.