A possible explanation for, why this system, in particular, shows a clear phase separation is, first, that the high water content provides sufficient water molecules in the system to facilitate the formation of a distinct water phase. Second, SOM II is distinguished by its low acidity, which may be attributed to the particular hydrophobicity of the HS molecules, in contrast to the other SOM types. This could contribute to the formation of a separate phase in a hydrophilic solvent, such as water. Additionally, the accessible time scales are within the microsecond range, which supports the observation of such processes.