About the Similarity between Polymaleic Acid and Water Soluble Humic Fractions

The content o f aromatic units in polym aleic acid (PMA) prepared by standard procedures is determined by C -13N M R and three different oxydation procedures. It is shown that all destructive oxydation procedures lead to an aromatic carbon content that is significantly higher than the aromaticity content expected from the method o f preparation and derived from the C-13 NM R spectra. It is concluded, that benzenecarboxylic acids are formed in the process o f oxydation o f PMA. The yield increases with the oxydative strength o f the method applied.