Nutrient Availability

• Farmers and gardeners often use humic acid in deficient soils. This substance complements the fertilizer added to the soil, making it easier for the plant to take the fertilizer up through their roots. Humic acid breaks up the soil and allows the plant roots to acquire better penetration into the soil. This acid helps free up nutrients in the soil, making it easier for plants to take them up. This acid can cut how much fertilizer gardeners need to add to the soil and can make soil self-sustaining as natural biological processes generate nutrients for the plants . However, humic acid reduces the effectiveness of pesticides by reducing the extent to which the plant's roots absorb these pesticides.
  
  

Surfactants

• When positively charged surfactants are added to humic acid, the surface tension of the water decreases significantly. Surfactants have an equal ratio of polar and nonpolar parts of a molecule. When surfactants are put in an oil-water system, the polar portions travel toward the water, and the nonpolar groups travel toward the oil. These processes lower the tension between the water and oil phases. The surfactant reduces the surface tension of the water, causing it to flow more easily.
  
  

Bioremediation

• Researchers aren't sure if humic acid can serve as a surfactant and help speed up the bioremediation of contaminated soils. Some research has shown an increase in the speed of microbial decomposition resulting from surfactants, such as research conducted by B. N. Aronstein et al. and published in Environmental Science Technology. However, other researchers have found that surfactants can actually inhibit the breakdown of harmful chemicals in the soil.
  
  

Research Issues

• Researchers aren't sure whether humic acid can serve as a surfactant and help speed up the bioremediation of contaminated soils. Some research has shown an increase in the speed of microbial decomposition resulting from surfactants, such as research conducted by B. N. Aronstein et al. and published in Environmental Science Technology. However, other researchers have found that surfactants can actually inhibit the breakdown of harmful chemicals in the soil.