Persephone's Palate, Gallon

In a feeding regimen, the calcium in the lignin acts as a microbial food while the lignin sulphonate acts as a chelating agent, (large, organic molecules that are used to envelop highly-reactive trace metal ions). The purpose of chelates is to incorporate metal ions like magnesium, boron, and zinc into a soluble but bound form that is capable of supplying nutrients to the plants. As the chelate breaks down, the metal ion micronutrients are slowly released into the soil in a bioavailable form that may then be taken up by the plant.