Photobleaching of humic rich dissolved organic matter

Abstract.

Humic rich dissolved organic matter (DOM) from a bog lake in the Northern Black Forest was treated with simulated solar UV-light. The effects of irradiation time, initial pH values, and dissolved iron and copper on photobleaching were investigated. The DOC concentration and the UV/VIS absorption decreased with increasing amounts of absorbed light energy. The wavelengths of the maximum bleaching effect and of the maximum amount of absorbed energy were found to coincide. A decrease in the average hydrodynamic radii of the DOM was shown by size-exclusion chromatography. Furthermore, evidence was given that hydrophilic moieties of the DOM were preferentially photodegraded while hydrophobic ones remained relatively unaffected or were even formed. Iron was an important factor of DOM photobleaching in the bog lake. However, copper, another redox active metal ion, inhibited the bleaching processes.