Polyphenols, natural degradable polymers

Nature provides a chemically diverse variety of degradable polymers. These polymers were the first materials used by humankind. Early men dressed themselves in hides (proteins, polysaccharides), later in cotton (polysaccharide), silk and wool (proteins). Early men used wood (polysaccharides, polyphenols) for tools and construction materials. Where available natural rubber (polyisoprene) was used for a variety of daily-life fimctions, from construction to water-proofing storage containers. 

The apparent source materials for forming such a hypothetical humic polymer would be lignin degradation products or plant polyphenols such as flavonoids. Because it has little relationship with the physical or chemical characteristics of actual humic materials, this type of model has fallen out of favor almost completely, except for ambiguous statements, still occasionally encountered, that the color of natural waters is due to tannins. ... 

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