- Application of the Arrhenius equation as the temperature function in modeling of the degradation kinetics of humic substances brought a high positive Pearson correlation coefficient with the carbon content and a reasonable negative correlation with the oxygen content. Ratio C/H indicating the aromaticity degree of humic samples did not show any significant correlation. Relatively high value of correlation coefficients provided also O + N and ratios C/(O + N) and C/O, respectively. In contrast, H, N content and natural and heat generated free radical content and their ratio gave substantially lower correlation coefficients. The latter indicates that free radicals are probably not the main reason of the collapse of the secondary structure of humic substances leading to their degradation.
