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Investigating the spectral characteristic and humification degree of dissolved organic matter in saline-alkali soil using spectroscopic techniques

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Abstract

Soil samples were collected from the areas surrounding Wuliangsuhai Lake in China. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was extracted from the samples and characterized by fluorescence and UV-Vis spectra. Spectral properties and humification degree of DOM were studied. The results indicated that both humic- and protein-like fluorophores were present in the DOM spectra, and the former was the dominant component. The analysis of humification (HIX) and r (A, C) indices revealed that the maximum humification degree in three agricultural soils (AAF, ASC, and ASW) was presented in the second soil layer (20‒40 cm). However, the humification degree of the two Halophytes soils (SSE and GKF) decreased with increasing depth. One index, I344/270, showed that humification degree increased gradually with an increasing proportion of humic-like acid. There was a significant positive correlation between humification degree (HIX) and aromaticity (SUVA254), indicating that a higher aromaticity corresponded to a higher humification degree. Land use was an important factor responsible for the major difference of cation exchange capacity (CEC) in different soils, which led to a higher CEC value in the second soil layer for the three agricultural soils. CEC values and humification degree had the same trend for all five soils. The correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between HIX and CEC, and a negative correlation between the r (A, C) index and CEC, indicating that humification degree increases gradually with increasing CEC values.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Social Science Fund (12CGL118), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41503110 and 51208020) and the Open Foundation of Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biomass-based Energy and Enzyme Technology, Huaiyin Normal University (JSBEET1309).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of land Management, School of Urban Economics and Public Administration, Capital University of Economics and Business, Beijing, 100070, China

    Qiang Li

  2. College of Resources and Environment, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, 610225, China

    Xujing Guo

  3. Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Ministry of Agriculture, Biogas institute of Ministry of Agriculture, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Xujing Guo & Lu Chen

  4. Sichuan Academy of Environmental Science, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Yunzhen Li

  5. Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, 100044, China

    Donghai Yuan & Sisi Wang

  6. Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biomass-based Energy and Enzyme Technology, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China

    Benlin Dai

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  1. Qiang Li
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  2. Xujing Guo
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  3. Lu Chen
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Correspondence to Xujing Guo.

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Li, Q., Guo, X., Chen, L. et al. Investigating the spectral characteristic and humification degree of dissolved organic matter in saline-alkali soil using spectroscopic techniques. Front. Earth Sci. 11, 76–84 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-016-0568-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-016-0568-1

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