Recent development of the Cylindrical Internal Reflectance (CIR) sample cell has made infrared analysis of solutes in highly infrared‐absorbing solvents such as water possible. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) has been combined with a CIR sample cell to determine the spectra of Aldrich humic acid in water at concentrations as low as 0.5 g L‐1. Spectral scans from 670 to .4000 cm‐1indicate that the region of greatest resolution for observing characteristic humic acid absorbance bands occurs from 1000 to 2000 cm‐1. Comparison of CIR spectra with Nujol mull and KBr spectra demonstrated a near total elimination of absorbance peaks from 1000 to 1200 cm‐1in the nonaqueous preparations. Solution phase parameters were altered to illustrate that the spectra of Aldrich humic acid in water varied with humic acid concentration, ionic strength, and pH. The ability to determine infrared spectra of humic materials in their native wet state will prove advantageous in determining humic material interaction with inorganic and organic pollutants such as trace elements and pesticides