Millions of years ago, huge deposits of peat began to form on planet Earth, namely from the time when the first vegetation appeared on it. What is peat formed from? Under certain climatic conditions, plants died off; under the influence of natural chemical and biological processes, they decomposed over time.
Also a necessary condition In order for peat to form, there is increased soil moisture and a lack of oxygen. Thus, the plants, decomposed to varying degrees, were stored, gradually increasing in volume over the centuries, turning into peat bogs, where peat is formed as a result. In this case, the bog is an ecosystem in which peat accumulates.
Description
Peat is a mineral of plant origin, formed over many millennia from organic remains of incomplete decomposition (mosses, grasses, wood, animal remains) which, due to high humidity and lack of oxygen access, were not completely mineralized.
Peat as a dry substance consists of:
- from plant residues of incomplete decomposition;
- humus - a dark amorphous substance (a product of the decomposition of plant tissues that have lost their cellular structure);
- mineral substances that remain after combustion in the form of ash;
Education in nature
So, let's look in more detail at what peat is formed from. Most of its composition is not completely decomposed plants and minerals. At the initial stage, the bulk of these substances decompose due to biochemical processes, and microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) also take part in the formation of peat. Due to their intense activity, they accelerate the process of loss of plant mass and structure. Also, the organic substance undergoes active leaching, causing layers to appear. This chain of natural processes is the origin of peat.
IN summer period peat formation occurs relatively faster, since plants decompose more actively at elevated temperatures. Also, the rate and degree of decomposition is influenced by the chemical composition of the plant (organic compounds, nitrogen, carbohydrates, calcium), the acid-base index of the soil, and the climate of the region.
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Properties of the mineral
If we translate into numbers, then about 30% of the initial phytomass turns into peat, and most decomposes to mineral components, passes into the atmosphere or leaves with water flows.
The color of peat depends on the amount of humus (humus); it is mainly black or brown in color with various shades. Its natural humidity ranges from 86% to 95%.
Degree of peat decomposition - relative presence in total volume peat organic substances - tissues that have lost their structure:
- slightly decomposed (up to 20%);
- moderately decomposed (20-35%);
- highly decomposed (more than 35%);
Based on the depth of occurrence, conditions of formation and properties, minerals are divided into:
- Horse
- Transition
- Lowland
Peat of lowland and transitional type is characterized by a higher ash content, in contrast to high peat. Ash content is the ratio of two masses: the remaining mass after combustion of ash to the initial mass of the substance. The higher the ash content, the lower the thermal effect and heat transfer. This fact means that when burned, high-type peat leaves less ash, giving off more heat.
Deposits
Peat deposits are of particular value for complex use in biochemical, agrochemical and energy fields, and are also the most important reserve of fertile lands (potentially possible use).
The minerals from most deposits are used as fuel and fertilizer, peat with a high ash content is used only as fertilizer. The top layers are often used to make pots intended for growing seedlings; as well as for bedding for animals, etc.
Peat deposit is a geological formation that consists of layer deposits various types peat and differing accordingly in their natural boundaries, excess moisture and specific vegetation.
The vegetation cover on different peatlands and even in individual areas of the same peatland can differ significantly, because the conditions for its transition to peat (the process of growth and decay) differ.
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The mineral peat has good combustible properties and is formed during the decomposition of mosses in swampy conditions. The properties of peat depend on the location of its deposits, humidity, ash content and chemical composition. The carbon content in it is 48–65%, the maximum calorific value is L/kg. The color range varies from light brown to dark, almost black. The dark color of peat is ensured by the presence of humus (humus), the more of it, the darker and more saturated the color.
The density of peat depends on the degree of moisture and can be 800–1080 kg/m3 in a wet state, and 1400–1700 kg/m3 in a dry state. Specific gravity peat is 0.29–0.68 N/m 3 in unprocessed form, and 0.60–0.90 N/m 3 in processed form.
Key indicators
The main physical and chemical (technical) indicators are: humidity, acidity, ash content, calorific value, degree of decomposition, moisture capacity, porosity, structure, thermal conductivity, bulk density, chemical composition.
Ash content is the ratio of the mineral part to the dry part, after its combustion, expressed as a percentage of the mass (it is represented by ash). Its chemical composition determines the composition of peat as a whole, in a dehydrated state. This includes calcium, silicon, aluminum, iron, nickel, vanadium, manganese, copper, titanium, barium, etc. There are high-ash (more than 12%) and normal-ash (less than 12%).
High-ash - rich in calcium salts, phosphorus and iron elements, which is a good indicator for fertilizing crops.
Acidity – depends on calcium saturation. The less calcium, the higher the acidity. Peat with low acidity is the most valuable.
The degree of decomposition can be low (up to 20%), medium (from 21 to 40%) and high (more than 40%).
Properties and application
The properties of peat are useful not only for improving the growth and productivity of agricultural crops, but also due to its rich composition, it is used in the cosmetics industry for the production of various creams.
Its flammable properties are similar to oil. Some key indicators are shown in the table.
Peat is mainly used in agriculture for fertilizing crops, as bedding for animals, for mulching the soil. It is also used in medicine, cosmetology and as fuel in the energy industry.
Material prepared by: Nadezhda Zimina, gardener with 24 years of experience, industrial engineer
When choosing a source of food for plants, gardeners usually give preference to those organic fertilizers that are available for purchase in their region. In areas where large amounts of wetlands occur, peat is often used as fertilizer.
This swamp inhabitant is used not only to create a highly nutritious environment for plants. It has many uses. Peat is burned for space heating, various solutions are filtered through it, and the walls of houses are wrapped in layers to ensure good thermal insulation. But most often this substrate is used as a fertilizer.
Peat intended for use in the garden is classified according to the degree of decomposition: 
- Horse(not subjected to rotting, used as mulch for winter shelter);
- Transitional(the decomposition process has begun, but has not reached the end, it is used as fertilizer);
- Lowland(completely rotted, used as fertilizer).
This swamp organic matter contains components of not only plant but also animal origin. A significant amount of humus is formed under conditions of high humidity and low oxygen content, and sometimes reaches 60% of the total structural composition. The chemical composition of peat is as follows:
- Carbon 50-60%;
- Hydrogen – 5%;
- Oxygen – 1-3%;
- Nitrogen – 3%;
- Sulfur – 1%.
The presence of a large volume of carbon and hydrogen in the composition makes the physical structure of this organic fertilizer porous. With such a quantity of ballast (from the point of view of plant nutrition) substances, one should not be surprised at how much the volume of peat decreases during drying.
Nitrogen from peat is poorly absorbed by plants; they receive a maximum of 1.5 kg from a ton of substrate. This is not enough. One of the main rules when using this fertilizer is to combine it with other organic and mineral fertilizers. In this case, peat acts as an assistant that keeps agrochemicals in the soil. This property is especially important when used in protected ground.
Greenhouse use
Peat has a high absorption capacity, and it is this property that makes it indispensable for use in greenhouses, where high air humidity is constantly maintained. It absorbs its excess and retains it in its micropores, and when the need for liquid arises, the plant roots always have access to it. Using peat as a fertilizer in a greenhouse can reduce the content of pathogenic microorganisms in the soil. In closed spaces this property is especially important.
For abundant fruiting of crops in closed ground, it must be renewed annually. Fertilizing the land with peat in this case - best option. Its content in the soil can reach 70% of general composition, given that additional use other fertilizers, both organic and mineral.
Recipe for peat-containing soil for a greenhouse:
- Garden soil – 40%;
- Lowland peat – 40%;
- Cow dung – 10%;
- – 5%;
- Wood sawdust -5%.
Peat compost
Most cheap way enrich peat with useful elements - make compost from it. To do this, take tops of garden plants, burdocks, nettles, and other weeds (except field bindweed). The stems and leaves of some flowers can also be added to this pile - lupine (green manure rich in nitrogen), chamomile (garden, medicinal), chrysanthemums. Under no circumstances should delphinium, castor bean, spurge, or garden iris be used, despite the large volume of tops that can be obtained from these plants. They are poisonous, and when decomposed, the toxic substances contained in their flowers, roots and leaves can become compost.
To produce fertilizers from peat, it is necessary to allocate a plot of land located at a distance from residential buildings, since a pile of rotting plants has a specific unpleasant odor.
The basis is wood sawdust, which is poured onto the ground in a layer of 20 cm. Then equal layers of earth and peat are laid on them. But you can put more tops, especially if they are pre-chopped.
And the tops are again covered with peat and earth, and spilled with infusion or. You can also use a solution of superphosphate, which is diluted in a proportion of 100 g. for 10 l.
It is not recommended to make the compost pile too high. Decomposition processes will take place unevenly in it, so the maximum height of this structure is 1.5 - 2 meters. Processing time is 1 – 1.5 years. Compost is considered ready when it has turned into a homogeneous crumbly mass.
What are the benefits of peat?
- The soil that has been treated with this marsh fertilizer becomes lighter, more porous, and begins to better allow air and water to pass to the roots of plants.
- Peat-based fertilizers in combination with other organic matter perfectly nourish poor, infertile and depleted loamy and sandy soils.
- This fertilizer is a natural antiseptic and helps to defeat pathogenic soil microflora, including harmful bacteria and fungi.
- Peat, if necessary, increases the acidity of the soil.
The last of the above properties is one of the most important characteristics this substrate, as it significantly affects the effectiveness of the fertilizers used. If the pH level, which characterizes the degree of acidity, is below 4.8, then peat-based fertilizer with such a reaction cannot be used, it will only harm the plants. The optimal pH value is 2.3 – 3.5.
Attention: If peat is used incorrectly, it can suppress and slow down the growth of plants, and sometimes cause their complete death.
Using peat as fertilizer, The following common mistakes should be avoided. It is forbidden:
- Fertilize the soil using the continuous application method.
- Use only peat, without other organic and mineral fertilizers.
- Use high-moor peat as fertilizer. There will be no benefit from it. This variety is used only for mulching.
- Use peat on light loamy, sandy loam and fertile soils. The application of this organic fertilizer in this case will be useless.
Peat manure or black soil - which is better?
Peat substrate, due to its high absorbent properties, is often used as bedding for livestock. Together with the liquid, it absorbs a large amount of nutrients - ammonia, potassium, calcium, magnesium. Acidic peat contains substances with an antibiotic effect, which helps it simultaneously nourish and protect plants from pathogens.
Fertilizer from such litter surpasses even “rested” black soil in its nutritional properties.. Peat manure soil contains the same amount of nutrients as highly fertile soil rich in humus, but surpasses it in terms of protection from harmful microorganisms and the quality of its structure.
You can distinguish between these two substrates manually - take a handful in your palm and squeeze tightly. The resulting lump must be left in the open air until completely dry. Chernozem will remain wet much longer, and peat will dry out very quickly and will crumble in your hand.
But when purchasing “clean” peat to create a fertile layer on the site, you need to be prepared for various troubles. It will have to be fertilized additionally to achieve optimal results. An ideal soil for a garden will be obtained if you add vermicultured compost, sand, and humus to peat.
Don't forget about safety precautions : It is better to carry out the mixing procedure immediately after shipment of this substrate to garden plot using primarily wet sand. It is especially important to follow this rule in hot weather, as peat can spontaneously ignite.
The cost of peat and black soil is approximately equal. It starts from the position of 150 rubles. per m³, and depends on the composition of the substrate, as well as on the amount of fertilizer purchased.
Peat extract
Usually Ready-made organic fertilizers are produced in this form. Peat-based fertilizers in liquid form are very convenient to use. They immediately contain required quantity accompanying elements that enrich their composition. Mineral fertilizers are mainly used as additional ingredients.
To obtain an extract from peat, it is subjected to electro-hydraulic treatment, and it is enriched with a by-product of the process - nitrogen. Moreover, in large quantities. So the benefits of a liquid solution based on this swamp substrate exceed its own performance when used in in kind, and if there is no need to improve the soil structure, then preference should be given to extraction.
Peat oxidate
This compound is a growth stimulator. Peat oxidate has a good effect on increasing the yield of agricultural crops, accelerates the ripening of fruits, and increases their nutritional value.
Peat oxidate is a harmless to humans, environmentally friendly product. At the same time, it is a powerful catalyst for growth. It helps the plant’s immunity fight pathogenic microflora, accelerates metabolism and activates all life processes.
Video: preparing land for planting using peat
Peat as a fertilizer is used in various fields of agriculture. It can be used to feed a garden arboretum, or it can be used for flowers, as a top dressing and mulching material. But you should always take into account that this natural fertilizer works best in a team, so peat must always be supplemented with organic and mineral fertilizers.
» Vegetable garden
In search of a source for feeding their gardens and summer cottages, owners most often give preference to substances of natural organic origin. Peat is an excellent fertilizer for wetlands, creating a highly nutritious environment for cultivated plants. And how exactly, for what it can be used and in what quantity, we will talk further in our article.
All microorganisms and vegetation that live in wetlands, overgrown reservoirs and lakes with weak flow die over some time, forming the so-called biomass. Moreover, over the years, its accumulation and involuntary pressing occurs. As a result, under conditions of high humidity and lack of air, peat appears.
This is a mineral of natural origin, which is a composition of brown or black color. Due to the fact that the complete disintegration of swampy organic matter is hampered by high humidity and lack of oxygen, some believe that peat is simply the initial stage of the appearance of coal. According to its characteristics, it can be sour and neutral.
Characteristics and composition
Peat consists mostly of organic matter of plant origin, but not only. The remains of animals and various microorganisms are also present. A significant amount of humus appears at high humidity and low oxygen levels. Moreover, sometimes this figure reaches sixty percent of the total mass. When fresh it smells like silt and mud, but when processed it can smell like earth. It looks like black or red soil depending on the depth.
The chemical composition of the fossil is as follows:
- carbon 50-60%;
- hydrogen – 5%;
- oxygen – 1-3%;
- nitrogen – 3%;
- sulfur – 1%.
Thanks to a large number carbon and hydrogen, the composition acquires a porous structure. Plus, the ballast components of peat dry out several times over time; if it is used as a fertilizer for the garden, the volume of the composition will be significantly reduced.
Since the absorption of nitrogen in this case is quite sluggish, plants from 1 ton of substrate will receive only 1.5 kg of the substance. And this is not enough. It is recommended to use it as a fertilizer and combine it with other mineral and nutritional complexes. Peat is re-qualified into auxiliary components that retain agrochemicals in the soil. This will be a lifesaver when using it in protected ground.
High peat in its pure form is not suitable as a fertilizer Types of peat: acidic and neutral
Depending on the location and accumulation of certain vegetation that involuntarily form a fossil, it is divided into: highland, lowland and transitional.
Generally speaking, the type of fossil determines its topographic location.
The mounted species consists of 95% of the remains of plant organic matter. Most often these are pine trees, larches, sedges and other trees. Its formation occurs most often in elevated areas of slopes and watersheds. The acidity of such soil is in the range of 3.5-4.5 units.
In the agricultural industry, the upright species is usually used in the form of compost, container compositions, for mulching and substrate for greenhouses.
More than 95% of the low-lying substrate is presented in the form of incompletely decomposed organic matter. Spruce, alder, birch, willow, fern, reed and other trees, plants located in ravines and river floodplains.
Lowland peat has a neutral Ph Lowland is characterized by neutrality and weak oxidation. Its pH is in the range of 5.5-7.0. This made it possible to use it for deoxidation of land. Of all types of fossils, this is the most useful substrate, containing no more than three percent nitrogen and one percent phosphorus.
If you decide to use fossils in the form of fertilizers, then it is best to choose the lowland type.
The transition substrate includes about 90% organic matter of the high type, and the rest is lowland mixtures. It is characterized by a slightly acidic reaction with a pH level in the range of 4.5-5.5. This substrate, like the lowland one, is usually taken in a complex of nutritional compositions. It is considered useful and allows you to get a good harvest, improving the quality of the soil.
Application in the form of fertilizers on a summer cottage
Experts recommend using the substrate on sandy and clayey land plots. Because there is no point in producing food for already fertile black soil. As for its application to loams, the issue becomes ambiguous. Some say it is necessary, while others clearly oppose such a decision.
Due to the fact that the raised substrate increases the acidity of the soil, it should not be used as a fertilizer complex. Most often this is mulch, which helps retain moisture on the land.
There are plants, for example, blueberries, sorrel, hydrangea and heather, that thrive in areas with high acidity. That is why the riding composition is recommended for mulching and feeding such a plot of land.
To maximize the efficiency of the peat substrate used, it is important to choose a composition with a decomposition level of 30-40% or more.
In its pure form, peat is not used for fertilizers. It must necessarily go together It is important to note the following:
- The low-lying composition must be ventilated and crushed before use.
- If you use the composition to nourish the soil, it must be moist (50-70%). Otherwise, it will become mulch rather than fertilizer.
By lightly aerating organic matter, the level of toxicity is significantly reduced. In this case, it is recommended to pour the peat onto a pile and keep it in an open area for several months, periodically turning it over with a shovel. If you don’t have that much time, you need to keep the substance in the fresh air for at least a few days.
Most often, peat in its pure form is not used. It is considered a component of fertilizer complexes, which also include organic and mineral substances. After all, this substrate can lead to the death of cultivated plants and deterioration of the soil composition.
This fossil is very often used to improve soil properties. So, for 1 sq. m of land requires 20-30 kg of peat. As a result, the concentration of useful organic substances will increase by almost one percent. It is recommended to repeat this procedure annually, over time optimizing the soil composition to the optimal level.
In the form of mulch, the product can be used either in its pure dried form or supplemented with pine needles, sawdust, moss or dry hay. But it is recommended to reduce the acidity level of the composition by adding wood ash or dolomite flour.
Peat in the form of compost is the most best use as food for land and vegetation.
Risks and hazards associated with use in the garden
We have already stated earlier that the use of peat must be skillful. Since its high concentration can harm them, lead to suppression and slowdown of the growth of cultivated plants, and even their death. In addition, there is a deterioration in the composition of the soil, a change in the ratio of its components and microelements.
Moreover, Peat can be added in pure concentrated form only for mulching, and not for feeding the soil. In this case, it is important to supplement it with mineral and organic components. Adding substrate to chernozem and other fertile soils is impractical, or rather useless. Where can I get it? You can buy it in a store or make it yourself.
Now you know well exactly how to use peat substrate so that it brings exceptional benefits to plants. After all, with such a composition you need to behave correctly, otherwise everything could end in tears.
Peat is an organic rock formed as a result of the biochemical process of decomposition (death and incomplete disintegration) of marsh plants under high humidity and lack of oxygen. Biochemical processes leading to the formation of peat occur mainly in the upper (mainly up to 0.5 m), the so-called peat layer.
Peat is a raw material for the production of many valuable products: fuel, thermal insulation boards, bedding materials for animals, various fertilizers and soils, peat briquettes and pots for growing seedlings. Peat from a number of deposits has healing properties and is used in medicine.
A little history
Peat, stone and brown coal, like other fossil fuels, were known to man back in the Stone Age. Typically, ancient authors designated solid combustible fossils (coals, asphalt, ozokerite, oil shale) with the collective name “bitumen.” For the first time, fossil coals were described under the name “anthrakos” (coal) by Theophrastus (III - IV centuries BC). From antiquity to the Middle Ages inclusive, scientists believed that fossil coal has existed from time immemorial “from the creation of the world.” Until the first third of the 19th century, some natural scientists classified fossil coal as inorganic formations.
The first book on peat (“Treatise on Peat” by Martin Schock) was published in Latin in 1658. in Groningen (Germany). The book was of great importance in the practice of using peat, but in matters of its origin it contained a number of incorrect conclusions. The plant origin of peat was irrefutably proven in 1729. Degner, who used a microscope to study it. “Peat,” he wrote, “is in reality an accumulation of countless flowering, green, and growing marsh plants in stagnant water.”
The first ideas about coal, as a product formed from plants, were expressed in ancient times by Anaximander (VI - VII centuries BC) and Aristotle (IV centuries BC). However, the priest Beroldingen managed to develop them most fully, who in 1792. gave a diagram of the sequential transition of peat into brown and coal. He divided peat into turf, swamp and swamp, and coal into brown and stone, highlighting varieties in the latter that reflected its natural composition. It must be admitted that the science of combustible minerals of that time lagged strikingly behind other sciences. If in the first area almost obvious phenomena were revealed in many ways, then, for example, in physics classical mechanics had already been built, electricity, infrared and ultraviolet rays had been discovered, the dynamics of absolutely solid etc. Therefore, it is no coincidence that such an insightful naturalist as the aforementioned Beroldingen, at that time still believed that the cause of volcanic eruptions were underground fires in deep-lying layers of coal.
In Russia, the first information about peat appeared in the 18th century. in the works of M.V. Lomonosov, I.G. Leman, V.F. Zueva, V.M. Severgina and others. In the 19th century. the works of V.V. were devoted to peat, especially its composition. Dokuchaeva, S.T. Navashina, G.I. Tanfilyeva and others. The work of Soviet peat scientists has revealed geographical patterns of distribution of peat deposits, created a classification of their types and types, and studied the chemical and physical composition of peat. In this area, the most famous works are I. D. Bogdanovskaya-Gienef, E. A. Galkina, D. A. Gerasimova, V.S. Dokturovsky, E.K. Ivanova, N.Ya. Kats, M.I. Neigstadt, N.I. Pyavchenko, V.N. Sukacheva, S.N. Tyuremnova and others. Among the latest works special attention deserves a monograph by V.E. Rakovsky and L.V. Pigulevskaya “Chemistry and genesis of peat”. The geochemical conditions for the formation of bogs in various climatic regions are examined in detail and comprehensively by A.I. Perelman in the book “Landscape Geochemistry”.
Currently, the science of peat and coal is still experiencing a period of gradual accumulation of knowledge in line with the old paradigm. But gradually and imperceptibly, work is progressing towards a transition to high-quality new stage its development. It will probably happen in the near future.
Genesis of peat
Peat is the predecessor of the genetic series of coals (according to a number of scientists). The place where peat is formed is peat bogs, found both in river valleys (floodplains, terraces) and on watersheds.
The origin of peat is associated with the accumulation of the remains of dead vegetation, the above-ground organs of which are humified and mineralized in the surface aerated layer of the bog, called the peat horizon, by soil invertebrate animals, bacteria and fungi. Underground organs located in an anaerobic environment are preserved in it and form the structural (fibrous) part of the peat. The intensity of decomposition of peat-forming plants in the peat layer depends on the type of plant, water content, acidity and temperature of the environment, and on the composition of incoming minerals. Despite the annual increase in dead organic matter, the peat horizon does not cease to exist, being a natural “factory” of peat formation. Since many plant species grow in peat deposits, forming characteristic combinations (marsh phytocenoses), and the environmental conditions of their growth differ in mineralization, water content, and environmental reaction, the formed peat in different areas of peat bogs has different properties. The so-called buried peat is known, which was deposited during periods between glaciations or was covered by loose sediments of varying thickness as a result of a change in the basis of erosion. The age of the buried peat is estimated at tens of thousands of years; Unlike modern peat, buried peat is characterized by lower humidity. When peat is formed, the plants, after dying, as noted above, find themselves in a highly moist, oxygen-poor environment. Here they do not decompose completely, as in the soil, but only partially, so their residues accumulate from year to year.
If lowland plants are united by ground nutrition (for example, plants are cut off from the mineral bottom by an already formed layer of peat), then transitional and highland types of peat begin to develop in lowland peat deposits.
The principle of formation of a peat deposit is presented in the following diagram:
Chemical composition of peat
The botanical type of peat formers has its own characteristic, inherent this species chemical composition, which in turn is determined by the level of intensity of microbiological decay.
Peat-forming plants contain: protein (1-30%), fats, waxes, oils (1-30%), cellulose and encrusting substances (10-50%). The elemental composition of peat-forming plants varies less significantly and consists of carbon (50-53%), hydrogen (5.5-6.5) and nitrogen (0.8-1.9%).
Peat consists of the same groups of substances as peat-forming plants, but a new class of compounds is added to them - humic substances. The process of accumulation of the latter in peat is most characteristic of peat formation, and the transition of plants into peat is called humification. The initial components of peat-forming plants undergo greater changes, the higher the geological and chemical age of the peat. Although these concepts are not identical.
A group of compounds extracted by organic solvents received the term “peat bitumens.” They consist of waxes, paraffins, resins and contain paraffin, terpene and aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as oxygen-containing compounds such as alcohols, acids, ethers. Their number ranges from 1.2 to 17.7%.
The carbohydrate complex of peat contains water-soluble and easily hydrolyzed substances in amounts from 6.9 to 63%. These include various classes organic compounds (pentoses, uronic acids, hexoses). Peat cellulose is a difficult-to-hydrolyze substance; its content varies from 0.2 to 20%.
Non-hydrolyzable peat substances consist of a complex mixture of substances: lignin of peat-forming plants and substances of the cutine-suberin group. The amount of non-hydrolyzable residue can reach up to 26%.
Humic substances are a mixture of high polymers with different molecular weights. Macromolecules of humic substances include ordered condensed cores and a disordered peripheral part. At the core and side sections of the macromolecule of humic substances there are acidic and basic groups capable of dissociation, which give these compounds the properties of polyelectrolytes. Humic compounds have an amorphous structure, the associates of which are formed as a result of direct interaction functional groups, as well as through water molecules and multivalent ions. Humic substances account for up to 70% of the organic part of peat.
Peat as a plant raw material and directions for its processing
Peat is a mixture of products of incomplete transformation of the remains of terrestrial and marsh plants, visible to the naked eye, with products of deeper transformation of the original plants, which have the appearance of a homogeneous amorphous mass. The destruction of plant organic matter is characterized by the degree of decomposition, i.e. the ratio of the structureless part to the total amount of peat. It is the most important indicator qualitative characteristics peat and ranges from 5-70%.
Thus, peat chemical composition occupies an intermediate position between plant raw materials and solid fossil fuels, and the lower its degree of decomposition, the closer its properties are to peat-forming plants.
The ideas about the properties of peat discussed above form the basis for the technology of its processing.
The logical development of forest chemistry was the creation of the peat chemical industry, which absorbed the experience and techniques of its predecessor. On the one hand, this is the production of peat after preliminary processing and the use of solid, liquid and gaseous products. On the other hand, it is a gentle extraction of groups of substances from the organic part of peat in the least modified form, by treating it with organic solvents, alkalis, acids and other reagents.
Thermolysis
The simplest radical and widespread method of peat processing is thermolysis. Heating peat above 1400C leads to changes in its composition, and these changes are deeper, the higher the final heating temperature. As a result of this processing, a large number of different new compounds are formed. It should be noted that thermal processing of peat significantly increases its value as a chemical raw material. IN lately A number of new methods of peat processing have appeared: mechanochemical, electric pulse, radiation.
Hydrolysis
To the second direction of receipt chemical products hydrolysis is based on peat.
A wide range of amino acids, carboxylic, uronic acids, humic substances and other compounds capable of activating or inhibiting various biological processes were found in peat hydrolysates. The final products are feed molasses, protein feed yeast, and saccharified peat.
Extraction
The process of producing bitumen by extracting peat with gasoline (nephras) has been carried out on an industrial scale. The resulting peat wax and resin serve as the basis for the production of dozens of new preparations that have found application in various fields - from model compositions for precision casting to medical supplies. Developed and implemented in industrial scale two technologies for obtaining biologically active extracts from peat. This is the production of ethanol extract from peat wax resin and the isolation of CO2 extract directly from peat. The ethanol extract of peat wax resin is enriched with biologically active substances and is characterized by a high therapeutic effect in the treatment of bone, dental and gynecological diseases. Extracts using the second technology are close in their chemical composition to the ethanol extract of peat wax resin, but are additionally enriched with essential oils, which provide an increased antimicrobial effect. These properties contribute to the production of sterile medicinal extracts for the treatment of diseases.
A large class of materials can be obtained based on the humic complex. These are plant growth stimulants, dyes, corrosion inhibitors, and radionuclide absorbers.
Chemical modification of peat
The processes of chemical modification of peat are of significant interest. This area has been very little studied and the processes of chemical wood processing can serve as a prototype.
Of particular interest in this area are botanical pure types of peat, i.e. composed of 85-95% of any one type of peat-forming plant.
The natural resources of peat require integrated approach when organizing peat production. The use of peat from peat deposits should not be monotonous, but should be determined by the conditions of the deposit, its natural features, the composition and properties of the raw material. Therefore, the use of the organic part of peat is effective in complex processing schemes. For example, the residue after bitumen extraction can be used to produce humates and active carbons, and the residue after hydrolysis can be used for the production of biologically active preparations or complex organomineral fertilizers.
Application of peat
Since ancient times, people have turned their interest to peat. Information has been preserved in which peat is called “combustible earth”. It served to start a fire when cooking food among Western Europeans. This is evidenced by the works of the Roman historian Pliny the Elder, who lived in the 1st century AD. However, widespread extraction and use of peat in Western Europe began in the 12th-17th centuries. Residents Russian Empire learned about the wonderful properties of peat during the reign of Peter I. It was he who began to extract this peat in 1696 natural material in Voronezh. They also looked for peat in the vicinity of Azov. The reason for this was that there was a shortage of firewood in these areas.
Over time, peat began to be used as peat coke. It was also used in the production of lighting gas. The peak of industrial use of resin and peat semi-coke is considered to be the 19th-20th centuries.
During industrialization and the Great Patriotic War In the Soviet Union, peat was used as an energy source. It was used in factories in the Urals and Siberia. The gas generator station of the Uralmashplant in Sverdlovsk used flammable gas for its operation, which was obtained from peat during the pyrolysis process. Flammable gas was used in military industry in front of everyone technological processes, which included gas welding and smelting production. In the post-war years in the USSR, during the five-year plans, the peat industry intensively developed fuel industry. After the opening of the West Siberian oil and gas industry, the importance of peat in the Soviet Union was no longer so significant.
As a last major project, in which peat was used as an energy carrier, was the construction and launch of the power unit of the Novo-Sverdlovsk Thermal Power Plant. Over the course of a year, 5 million tons of peat were burned at the power unit. The use of peat as an energy source was stopped in the 80s. This is due to the harm caused to nature. All facilities were switched to natural gas.
Currently, peat has found application in medicine, biochemistry, agriculture, animal husbandry, and energy. Latest technologies in industry they make it possible to produce very fertile soils used as soil for food plants; fertilizers; stimulants to accelerate plant growth; insulation materials; packaging; graphite and active carbon, as well as much more.
In Europe, peat baths have now become widespread and have a healing effect. Many well-known SPA clinics use peat baths to treat rheumatism and arthritis. Great attention is now paid to research into the medicinal properties of peat.
Peat is already known as a medicine. A number of medicinal drugs are produced from it. For example, “peat” is a medicine that is indispensable in the treatment of heart disease, kidney disease, eczema, and retinal detachment. It is used as a means of regulating metabolic processes in the human body.
The fluffy threads contained in peat can be used in the manufacture of fabrics. In Finland, for example, there are already clothes and fabrics made using peat. At the end of the last century, durable fabrics made from peat - carpets, rugs, blankets - were demonstrated at an exhibition in Antwerp in Holland.
Peat can be used as an absorbent material in eliminating environmental accidents various types. A mixture of peat and activated carbon is used to purify the air. Treated peat is used to absorb oil from the surface of the ocean or coast, for cleaning waste water from a number of dyes, phenol, nitrates, phosphates, heavy metal ions, fats, proteins.
Eskimos build houses from two layers: internal - peat and external snow, which makes very warm houses!
The top layer of sphagnum peat can be used in pulp and paper industry: for the production of hard grades of paper, cardboard.
During the chemical processing of sod peat under the influence high temperatures up to 98% of carbon is released - a carbon reducing agent for the metal is obtained - coke, which is widely used in metallurgy.
Peat filters are used in aquariums! Many tropical waters are more or less acidic. We are talking about humic acids, which are released by wood and foliage. Aquarium water is passed through peat so that it absorbs the substances it contains. Many species of ornamental fish come from particularly clean and “acidic” waters. Using peat, you can create conditions for them that are close to natural.
The first mention of Whiskey dates back to 1494, and it became widespread in 1700. From those times to the present day, peat has been used in the preparation of Scotch Whiskey. According to classical technology, barley is first soaked in water for a couple of days, and then scattered in a thin layer on the floor of the malthouse for germination. Starches are converted into sugars, which subsequently serve as food for alcohol-producing fungi - yeast. After 5-7 days, malt was obtained. At this moment, the growth of barley must be stopped, and for this purpose it is dried in a kiln - a special room with a holey floor, under which a fire is lit. The fuel used is typical for Scotland - peat. Peat burns very poorly, emitting smoke that has a very characteristic odor. The smoke, having passed through the grain, exits the room through a hole in the roof. Peat gives whiskey its incomparable smell and taste. Malt whiskey, like cognac or armagnac, has the ability, almost unique among strong alcoholic drinks, to acquire a specific taste depending on the place of production.
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