Humic substances: fulvic acid-dialkyl phthalate complexes and their role in pollution.

Fulvic acid is a water-soluble humic material with relatively low molecular weight that occurs widely in soils and waters. It can combine with lyophobic organic compounds such as alkanes, fatty acids, and dialkyl phthalates to form stable "complexes" that are soluble in water. Fulvic acid in an aquatic environment may act as a vehicle for the mobilization, transport, and immobilization of organic compounds, some of which may be toxic pollutants.