Aquatic humic substances (AHS) were isolated from peatbog water by adsorption (1) on diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DEAE-C) and (2) on Amberlite XAD-2 (XAD) to compare yields of the methods and the composition of the isolated AHS. To provide a detailed comparison, the isolates were fractionated using size-exclusion and hydrophobic-interaction chromatography on Sephadex G-50. The fractions were characterized by ultraviolet-visible, infrared and 13C-nuclear magnetic spectroscopies and analyzed for elemental, functional-group, carbohydrate and amino acid compositions. More AHS adsorbed onto DEAE-C than onto XAD-2 (94 and 74%, respectively). However, only 76% of the AHS adsorbed onto DEAE-C was recovered using 0.1 M NaOH, whereas 98% of the AHS adsorbed onto XAD was released by consecutive elution with 1 M NH4OH (91%) and methanol (7%). Four main fractions of different composition were obtained from each of the alkali-desorbed AHS samples by Sephadex-gel chromatography. General agreement was found in relative amounts, spectroscopic characteristics and composition of corresponding fractions of both isolates except nitrogen content, which was significantly higher in AHS isolated with XAD, apparently due to the reaction of AHS with NH4OH used for the desorption from the resin.Aquatic humic substances (AHS) were isolated from peatbog water by adsorption (1) on diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DEAE-C) and (2) on Amberlite XAD-2 (XAD) to compare yields of the methods and the composition of the isolated AHS. To provide a detailed comparison, the isolates were fractionated using size-exclusion and hydrophobic-interaction chromatography on Sephadex G-50. The fractions were characterized by ultraviolet-visible, infrared and 13C-nuclear magnetic spectroscopies and analyzed for elemental, functional-group, carbohydrate and amino acid compositions. More AHS adsorbed onto DEAE-C than onto XAD-2 (94 and 74%, respectively). However, only 76% of the AHS adsorbed onto DEAE-C was recovered using 0.1 M NaOH, whereas 98% of the AHS adsorbed onto XAD was released by consecutive elution with 1 M NH4OH (91%) and methanol (7%). Four main fractions of different composition were obtained from each of the alkali-desorbed AHS samples by Sephadex-gel chromatography. General agreement was found in relative amounts, spectroscopic characteristics and composition of corresponding fractions of both isolates except nitrogen content, which was significantly higher in AHS isolated with XAD, apparently due to the reaction of AHS with NH4OH used for the desorption from the resin.