EXTRACTION OF ORGANIC MATTER FROM NATURALLY OCCURRING SUBSTRATES
Natural organic-containing substrates such as leonardite, lignite, peat, shale, sediment and soil are treated with alkaline or suitable chelating agents as extractants for organic matter in the nature of soluble fulvic and humic acid fractions. The mixture containing naturally occurring substances and extractant is then transferred to a centrifuge to produce a sediment or settled phase and a supernatant phase. The yield of organic matter found in the supernatant phase following centrifugation is significantly greater than the corresponding yield obtained when the mixtures are allowed to settle under gravity in the absence of centrifugation.
1 . A method of increasing the yield of organic matter in supernatant resulting from an alkaline extraction of a naturally occurring substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) mixing a naturally occurring, organic matter-containing substrate with an aqueous, alkaline solution to produce an alkaline mixture;
(b) agitating said alkaline mixture for a period of time;
(c) transferring said alkaline mixture into a centrifuge;
(d) centrifuging said alkaline mixture in the centrifuge producing centrifugal force in the range of 20-25,000 Gs; and,
(e) collecting supernatant from the centrifuge.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said naturally occurring substrate is selected from the group consisting of leonardite, lignite, peat, shale, sediment and soil and any combination thereof.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the alkaline mixture is agitated for about seven hours and the temperature of said alkaline mixture is maintained in the range of 70°-220° F. during agitation.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the centrifuge is operated to produce a centrifugal force in the range of 20-25,000 G's.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the rate at which said alkaline mixture is transferred to the centrifuge at a rate in the range of 10 to 500 gallons per minute.
6 . The supernatant produced by the method of claim 1 having a concentration of organic matter therein of not less than 8.2 parts per million of carbon.
7 . A method of using the supernatant of claim 6 comprising the steps of:
a) mixing said supernatant with an aqueous medium containing an agricultural product selected from the group consisting of a fertilizer, a fungicide, a plant growth promoter and any mixture thereof to produce an aqueous product; and
b) applying said aqueous product to soil and/or plants to promote plant growth.
8 . A method of using the supernatant of claim 6 comprising the steps of:
a) mixing said supernatant with an aqueous medium containing an agricultural product selected from the group consisting of a fertilizer, a fungicide, a plant growth promoter and any mixture thereof to produce a dry agricultural product; and
b) applying said dry agricultural product to soil and/or plants to promote plant growth.
9 . A method of increasing the yield of organic matter in supernatant resulting from an alkaline extraction of leonardite, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) mixing a quantity of particulate leonardite with an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide to produce an alkaline mixture;
(b) agitating said alkaline mixture for about seven hours;
(c) transferring said alkaline mixture into a centrifuge;
(d) centrifuging said alkaline mixture in the centrifuge producing centrifugal force in the range of 20-25,000 Gs; and,
(e) collecting supernatant from the centrifuge.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein said alkaline mixture is agitated for about seven hours while maintained at a temperature in the range of 160°-190° F.
11 . The method of claim 9 wherein said alkaline mixture is pumped to the centrifuge at a rate in the range of 30 to 100 gallons per minute.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the centrifuge is operated to produce a centrifugal force of about 2850 Gs.
13 . The supernatant produced by the method of claim 9 having a concentration of organic matter therein of not less than 8.2 parts per million of carbon.
14 . A method of using the supernatant of claim 13 comprising the steps of:
a) mixing said supernatant with an aqueous medium containing an agricultural product selected from the group consisting of a fertilizer, a fungicide, a plant growth promoter and any mixture thereof to produce an aqueous product; and
b) applying said aqueous product to soil and/or plants to promote plant growth.
15 . A method of using the supernatant of claim 13 comprising the steps of:
a) mixing said supernatant with an aqueous medium containing an agricultural product selected from the group consisting of a fertilizer, a fungicide, a plant growth promoter and any mixture thereof to produce a dry agricultural product; and
b) applying said dry agricultural product to soil and/or plants to promote plant growth.
16 . A method of increasing the yield of organic matter in supernatant resulting from an alkaline extraction of leonardite, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) mixing a quantity of particulate leonardite with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to produce an alkaline mixture;
(b) agitating said alkaline mixture for about seven hours;
(c) transferring said alkaline mixture into a centrifuge;
(d) centrifuging said alkaline mixture in the centrifuge producing centrifugal force in the range of 20-25,000 Gs; and,
(e) collecting supernatant from the centrifuge.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein said alkaline mixture is agitated for about seven hours while maintained at a temperature in the range of 160°-190° F.
18 . The method of claim 16 wherein said alkaline mixture is pumped to the centrifuge at a rate in the range of 30 to 100 gallons per minute.
19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the centrifuge is operated to produce a centrifugal force of about 2850 Gs.
20 . The supernatant produced by the method of claim 16 having a concentration of organic matter therein of not less than 8.2 parts per million of carbon.
21 . A method of using the supernatant of claim 20 comprising the steps of:
a) mixing said supernatant with an aqueous medium containing an agricultural product selected from the group consisting of a fertilizer, a fungicide, a plant growth promoter and any mixture thereof to produce an aqueous product; and
b) applying said aqueous product to soil and/or plants to promote plant growth.
22 . A method of using the supernatant of claim 20 comprising the steps of:
a) mixing said supernatant with an aqueous medium containing a composition selected from the group consisting of a fertilizer, a fungicide, a plant growth promoter and any mixture thereof to produce an agricultural product;
b) drying said agricultural product; and
c) applying said agricultural product to soil and/or plants to promote plant growth.