Partial characterization of soil humic acids through biodegradation.

A strain of Pewicillizi?tz freqzientans was successfully employed for partial degradation and characterization of humic acids. Salicyl alcohol and salicylalclehyde were detected i n culture filtrates of the fungus ~rtilizing humates under reduced oxygen tension. The enzyme systems iiivolved in the degradation of humic acids were adaptive. The humate-adapted lnyceliirln was capable of metabolizi~~g a number of co~npounds which occur i n soil as products of degradation of l i ~ n i r ~ , aromatic amino acids, and plant glycosides but not polyphenolic hydrocarbons, resorcinol, and phlorogluci~~ol.