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Seasonal characterization and identification of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Pearl River, China

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Abstract

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is considered to be one of active organic carbon components in river water, and its characteristics would affect quality of drinking water if such a river is used for the purpose. DOM in the Pearl River around metropolitan Guangzhou and its six fractions obtained by sequential resins separation and their percentage distribution of total organic carbon (TOC), the UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV254), and the specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254) were determined. Meanwhile, fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to examine the biodegradable and structural characteristics of DOM. The results showed that the values of TOC, UV254, and SUVA254 changed with season. Especially, SUVA254 was lower than 3 L (mg m)−1, indicating that the hydrophilic fractions were the major components of the DOM. Furthermore, fluorescence spectroscopy revealed the dominant presence of humic-like, fulvic-like, and protein-like fluorophores. Fluorescence index (FI) in four seasons was associated with allochthonous DOM sources and biological DOM. FTIR spectroscopy suggested the feature of DOM with some specific groups (e.g., carbohydrate C–O, amid C═O).

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41471259), Guangdong Technology Research Centre for Ecological Management and Remediation of Urban Water Systems (2012gczxA005), and Foundation for Distinguished Young Talents in Higher Education of Guangdong, China (2013LYM0018).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of China

    Liuchun Zheng, Zhaofeng Song & Zhanqiang Fang

  2. College of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China

    Peipei Meng

  3. Guangdong Technology Research Center for Ecological Management and Remediation of Urban Water System, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Liuchun Zheng & Zhanqiang Fang

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  1. Liuchun Zheng
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  2. Zhaofeng Song
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  3. Peipei Meng
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Correspondence to Liuchun Zheng or Zhanqiang Fang.

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Responsible editor: Céline Guéguen

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Zheng, L., Song, Z., Meng, P. et al. Seasonal characterization and identification of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Pearl River, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 7462–7469 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5999-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5999-9

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