TY - JOUR N2 - The leachate problem is important and difficult to solve in Poland and in the world. The composition and their properties leachates depend on the age of the landfill, type of waste, climatic conditions and the mode of operation of the landfill. A significant part of landfilled waste is subject to so-called humification. This process stabilizes organic substances in the landfill and creates humic substances that penetrate into the leachate. The leaks contain many toxic impurities, such as PAHs, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and other substances hazardous to human health and life, which can be sorbed by humic substances. Leachates from three municipal landfills, differing in the characteristics of the stored waste, were studied. Fulvic acids (FAs) were extracted on the basis of affinity for specific solvents along with the use of sorption. The obtained acids were subjected to a qualitative analysis of the content of micro-impurities, essential elements forming the structure of the fulvic acid molecule, and their infrared spectra were tested. It has been noticed that with the age of waste deposited, the content of elemental carbon increases, and the amount of oxygen and hydrogen decreases. The degree of purity of fulvic acids was influenced by the time of waste storage, and the sulfur content depended on their characteristics. With the time of waste storage, the characteristics of the acids obtained were approaching humic acids, and the intensity of absorption bands clearly increased. The spectra obtained correlate well with those of fulvic acids available in the literature, and the findings provide scientific confirmation of the need for further research on the characteristics of fulvic acids. L1 - http://journals.pan.pl/Content/119444/Archives%20vol%2047%20no%201_pp41_52.pdf L2 - http://journals.pan.pl/Content/119444 PY - 2021 IS - No 1 EP - 52 KW - humic acids KW - fulvic acids KW - landfill KW - leachate KW - humic substances A1 - OrliƄski, Tomasz A1 - Anielak, Anna M. PB - Polish Academy of Sciences VL - vol. 47 DA - 2021.03.08 T1 - Characteristics of fulvic acids generated in communes waste landfills SP - 41 UR - http://journals.pan.pl/dlibra/publication/edition/119444 T2 - Archives of Environmental Protection ER -