Skip to main content
Log in

Relationship between fluorescence characteristics and molecular weight distribution of natural dissolved organic matter in Lake Hongfeng and Lake Baihua, China

  • Articles
  • Published:
Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the most interesting and difficult problems in recent years due to its important functions in the ecological and environmental system and the complexity of its chemical composition and structure. It is well accepted that fluorescence characteristics and molecular weight distribution are two important parameters in the DOM characterization. However, the relationship between them is still unknown. In this study, fluorescence and molecular weight distribution of DOM in Lake Hongfeng, Lake Baihua and their rivers, and their relationship were investigated using the combination of fluorescence spectroscopy and high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with on-line UV absorbance and fluorescence detectors. The results show that there were two obvious humic-like fluorescence peaks (Peaks A and B) in DOM from lake water. But there was another obvious protein-like fluorescence peak (Peak C) in DOM from river water. The humic-like fluorescence material consisted of DOM fraction with smaller molecular weight, ranging from 1.0 to 3.0 kDa, while the protein-like fluorescence material mainly consisted of DOM fraction with MW larger than 2.0 kDa. The calculation of MW using HPSEC was related to the UV absorbance wavelength chosen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Candler, R., Zech, W., Alt, H. G., Characterization of water-soluble organic substances from a type dystrochrept under spruce GPC, IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, Soil Science, 1988, 146: 445–452.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Campbell, J. H., Evans, R. D., Inorganic and organic ligand binding of lead and cadmium and resultant implications for bioavailability, The Science of Total Environment, 1987, 62: 219–227

    Google Scholar 

  3. Wu, F., Tanoue, E., Molecular mass distribution and fluorescence characteristics of dissolved organic ligands for copper (II) in lake Biwa, Japan, Organic Geochemistry, 2001, 32: 11–20.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Chiou, C. T., Malcolm, R. L., Brinton, T. I. et al., Water solubility enhancement of some organic pollutants and pesticides by dissolved humic and fulvic acids, Environmental Science Technology, 1986, 20(5): 502–508

    Google Scholar 

  5. El-Rehaili, A. M., Weber, Jr. W. J., Correlation of humic substance trihalomethane formation potential and adsorption behavior to molecular weight distribution in raw and chemically treated waters, Water Research, 1987, 21(5): 573–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Owen, D. M., Amy, G. L., Chowdhury, Z. K., NOM characterization and treatability, Journal of American Water Works Association, 1995, 87(1): 46–63.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kilduff, J. E., Karanfil, T., Chin, Y-P. et al., Adsorption of natural organic polyelectrolytes by activated carbon: A size-exclusion chromatography study, Environmental Science Technology, 1996, 30(4): 1336–1343.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Amy, G. L., Sierka, R. A., Bedessem, J. et al., Molecular size distribution of dissolved organic matter, Journal of American Water Works Association, 1992, 84(6): 67–75.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Newcombe, G., Drikas, M., Hayes, R., Influence of characterized natural organic material on activated carbon adsorption: II. Effect of pore volume distribution and adsorption of 2-methylisoborneol, Water Research, 1997, 31(5): 1065–1073.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cabaniss, S. E., Zhou, Q., Maurice, P. A. et al., A log-normal distribution model for the molecular weight of aquatic fulvic acid, Environmental Science Technology, 2000, 34: 1103–1109.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Chin, Y. P., Aiken, G., O’Loughlin, E., Molecular weight, polydispersity, and spectroscopic properties of aquatic humic substances, Environmental Science Technology, 1994, 28: 1853–1858.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Rausa, R., Mazzolari, E., Calemma, V., Determination of molecular size distributions of humic acids by high-performance sizexclusion chromatography, Journal of Chromatography, 1991, 541: 419–429.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Peuravuori, J., Pihlaja, K., Molecular size distribution and spectroscopic properties of aquatic humic substances, Analytica Chimica Acta, 1997, 337: 133–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Her, N., Amy, G., McKnight, D., Characterization of DOM as a function of MW by fluorescence EEM and HPLC-SEC using UVA, DOC, and fluorescence detection, Water Research, 2003, 37: 4295–4303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Artinger, R., Buckau, G., Kim, J. I., Characterization of ground-water humic and fulvic acids of different origin by GPC with UV/Vis and fluorescence detection, Fresenius J Anal Chem, 1999, 364: 737–745.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Zhou, Q., Cabaniss, S. E., Patricia, A. M., Considerations in the use of high-pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) for determining molecular weights of aquatic humic substances, Water Research, 2000, 34(14): 3505–3514.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. O’Loughlin, E., Chin, Y-P., Effect of detector wavelength on the deternimation of the molecular weight of humic substances by high-pressure size exclusion chromatography, Water Research, 2001, 35(1): 333–338.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Mopper, K., Schultz, C. A., Fluorescence as a possible tool for studying the nature and water column distribution of DOC components, Marine Chemistry, 1993, 41: 229–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Coble, P. G., Green, S. A., Blough, N. V. et al., Characterization of dissolved organic matter in the Black Sea by fluorescence spectroscopy, Nature, 1990, 348: 432–435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Yamashita, Y., Tanoue, E., Chemical characterization of protein-like fluorescences in DOM in relation to aromatic amino acids, Marine Chemistry, 2003, 82: 255–271.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Determann, S., Reuter, R., Wagner, P. et al., Fluorescent matter in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Part 1: method of measurement and near-surface distribution, Deep Sea Research, 1994, 41(4): 659–675.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Coble, P. G., Characterization of marine and terrestrial DOM in seawater using excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy, Marine Chemistry, 1996, 51: 325–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Del Castillo, C. E., Coble, P. G., Morell, J. M. et al., Analysis of the optical properties of the Orinoco river plume by adsorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, Marine Chemistry, 1999, 66: 35–51.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Senesi, N., Molecular and quantitative aspects of the chemistry of fulvic and its interactions with metal ions and organic chemicals: Part II. The fluorescence spectroscopy approach, Anal. Chim. Acta, 1990, 232: 77–106.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Miano, T. M., Senesi, N., Synchronous excitation fluorescence spectroscopy applied to soil humic substances chemistry, Science Total Environment, 1992, 117/118: 41–51.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Parlanti, E., Morin, B., Vacher, L., Combined 3D-spectrofluorometry, high performance liquid chromatography and capilly electrophoresis for the characterization of dissolved organic matter in natural waters, Organic Geochemistry, 2002, 33: 221–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Wu, F. C., Liu, C. Q., Humic substances. in: Chromatographic Analysis of the Environment, Third edition, revised and expanded (ed. L. Nollet), New York: Marcel Dekker Inc., 2005, 1–50.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Thorn, K. A., Folan, D. W., MacCarthy, P., Characterization of the IHSS standard and reference flulvic and humic acids by solution state carbon-13 (13 C) and hydrogen-1 (1 H) nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, United States Geological Survey, Water-Resources Investigations, 1989, 4189–4196.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

About this article

Cite this article

Yue, L., Wu, F., Liu, C. et al. Relationship between fluorescence characteristics and molecular weight distribution of natural dissolved organic matter in Lake Hongfeng and Lake Baihua, China. CHINESE SCI BULL 51, 89–96 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-004-5384-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-004-5384-4

Keywords

Navigation