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Chemical characterization of fractions of dissolved humic substances from a marginal sea—a case from the Southern Yellow Sea

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Abstract

Marine dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the largest dynamic pools of organic carbon in the global carbon cycle, yet DOM is still chemically poorly characterized. To better understand the origin, composition, and cycling of DOM in the China marginal sea, dissolved humic substances (DHS) were isolated from seawaters in two locations in the Southern Yellow Sea. The DHS were subdivided into fulvic acids (FAs), humic acids (HAs) and the XAD-4 fractions. Complementary analytical approaches were used to characterize the isolated DHS samples including stable carbon isotopic composition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 13C cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The results demonstrated that both DHS samples encountered the influences from marine source, indicating that algal and microbial-derived materials are the predominant precursors for the studied samples. The three fractions of DHS showed different properties. FAs presented more aromatic features, whereas HAs contained more aliphatic lipids and proteinaceous materials. The XAD-4 fractions were enriched in 13C and contained more carbohydrates but less aromatic compounds. The lower molecular weight and higher heteroatom content and number of carboxyl groups for the XAD-4 fractions may give them considerable geochemical significance for aspects of trace metal species, bioavailability of pollutants, mineral weathering and water acidification in marine environments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China

    Yaoling Zhang  (张耀玲), Keli Yang  (杨克利), Yaping Dong  (董亚萍) & Wu Li  (李武)

  2. State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China

    Yaoling Zhang  (张耀玲), Jinzhou Du  (杜金洲) & Fenfen Zhang  (张芬芬)

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  1. Yaoling Zhang  (张耀玲)
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  2. Keli Yang  (杨克利)
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  3. Jinzhou Du  (杜金洲)
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  4. Fenfen Zhang  (张芬芬)
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  5. Yaping Dong  (董亚萍)
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  6. Wu Li  (李武)
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Correspondence to Jinzhou Du  (杜金洲).

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41403108), the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. Y412011004), and the Natural Science Foundation of Qinghai Province (No. 2014-ZJ-937Q)

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Zhang, Y., Yang, K., Du, J. et al. Chemical characterization of fractions of dissolved humic substances from a marginal sea—a case from the Southern Yellow Sea. J. Ocean. Limnol. 36, 238–248 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-017-6202-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-017-6202-6

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