SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 27


 Peat waxes are produced commercially only in the Soviet Union where
they are used as release agents in foundry castings and on polyethylene
surfaces. Peat waxes are similar to montan wax which is derived from
lignite. Montan wax is a substitute for beeswax and carnauba wax and is
used as an industrial lubricant and as an ingredient in shoe and furniture
polish, electrical insulating materials and in candles (Minnesota DNR,
1981).
 Peat resins are the primary byproducts of peat wax production. The
resins are of importance as a source of steroids for use by the pharma-
ceutical industry (Minnesota DNR, 1981).


 CARBOHYDRATES

 Peat carbohydrates consist primarily of cellulose and related materials
such as hemicellulose and starches (Fuchsman, 1978). Sugars are pro-
duced by acid hydrolysis for use in yeast culture. Yeast culture can be
optimized for the production of single cell protein or for the fermentation
of alcohol (Fuchsman, 1978).
 Peat suitable for carbohydrate hydrolysis, according to Soviet criteria
are: Sphagnum peat with degree of decomposition less than 20 percent,
ash content less than five percent and at least 24 percent of the dry
weight of the peat recoverable as fermentable sugars from the easily
hydrolyzable carbohydrates (or 45 percent if difficulty hydrolyzable car-
bohydrates are included) (Fuchsman, 1978). Cellulose is classified as
being difficult to hydrolyze. The preferred Soviet process (Ishino, 1976,
in Fuchsman, 1978) is as follows: peat with a maximum grain size of 0.4
inches is slurried with water to 7 20 percent solids and mixed. The
suspension is then pumped at 5-7 atmospheres of pressure and con-
centrated sulfuric acid is added to give an overall acid concentration of
0.25- 1 percent. The slurry is heated to 2840F 3380F by steam injec-
tion and discharged to atmospheric pressure and reacted for 10-30
minutes. Volatile matter is flashed off, the fluid is diluted and reacts for
an additional 10 minutes at 2840F to allow hydrolysis completion. Solids
are then removed by sedimentation centrifuge or filtration. Yield by this
process is 34-40 percent of the peat dry weight.


 HUMIC ACIDS

 Fuchsman (1978) describes humic acid as "alkali-soluble, acid-
insoluble organic compounds, excluding bitumens and carbohydrates".
There are several lines of chemical modification of humic acid: pyrolysis,
oxidation and reduction (Fuchsman, 1978).
 To date, there are no large scale commercial uses for humic acid.
Present industrial uses for humic acids include sizing for paper, tanning
agents, in fertilizers and as viscosity modifiers for oil well drilling mud