Organo-Mineral Formations as a Form of Interaction Between Living and Inert Matter

The interaction of mineral components of the soil or mineral particles of aqueous suspensions with organic matter confirms the idea of V.I. Vernadsky about the constant exchange between non-living (inert) and living matter in the biosphere as the basis of life. Such interactions are most clearly manifested in the mixing zone of sea and river waters. Experiments conducted on models have shown that the combined action of humic substances adsorbed onto mineral particles (inert matter) and polyelectrolytes formed in situ (living matter) leads to more efficient flocculation in the presence of salt than flocculation of unmodified mineral particles. Various types of humic preparations were studied as clay modifiers. Sakhalin humate was shown to stabilize clay dispersions better than other humates, even at increasing salinity. The origin of polyelectrolytes acting as flocculants is considered. The results of the study confirm the important role of humic substances as an intermediate link from living to non-living matter, and the found quantitative ratios of humic acids and flocculants can be used in the remediation of soil structure, in water purification, in the study of mass transfer of river suspended matter and associated pollutants from river waters to the marine environment.