Abstract
Humic substances (HS) are the primary constituents of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and play pivotal roles in aquatic systems. Optical indices of DOM, such as specific UV absorbance (SUVA254), the fluorescence index (FI) and biological index (BIX), have gained wide interest because of their ease of use. In this study, we explored the relationship between HS and the indices in the Trat River Basin (eastern Thailand) from headwaters to the river mouth through the distinct dry and rainy seasons to examine whether changes in index values reflect variability in the relative contribution of HS to DOM, or %HS. The results show that %HS and the indices did not exhibit significant linear relationships (FI and BIX, P > 0.05), or the relationships changed seasonally (SUVA254). However, analyzing the indices versus %HS did show clear DOM composition changes by season with more humic-like or terrestrial material in the rainy season. Relationships between DOM and dissolved iron (dFe) concentrations were also explored. Separating the relationships of DOM versus dFe into HS versus dFe and non-HS versus dFe provides us the opportunity to better understand which fraction contributes more to dFe mobilization. The results indicate stronger positive linear relationships between HS and dFe concentrations independent of river tributary. Overall, this study highlights the importance of quantifying HS for the study of DOM dynamics or compositional changes along a river transect as well as for DOM-induced iron mobilization.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abbt-Braun G, Lankes U, Frimmel FH (2004) Structural characterization of aquatic humic substances—the need for a multiple method approach. Aquat Sci 66:151–170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-004-0711-z
Ates N, Kitis M, Yetis U (2007) Formation of chlorination by-products in waters with low SUVA-correlations with SUVA and differential UV spectroscopy. Water Res 41:4139–4148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2007.05.042
Baken S, Degryse F, Verheyen L et al (2011) Metal complexation properties of freshwater dissolved organic matter are explained by its aromaticity and by anthropogenic ligands. Environ Sci Technol 45:2584–2590. https://doi.org/10.1021/es103532a
Bracchini L, Loiselle S, Dattilo AM et al (2004) The spatial distribution of optical properties in the ultraviolet and visible in an aquatic ecosystem. Photochem Photobiol 80:139–149
Bundy RM, Abdulla HAN, Hatcher PG et al (2015) Iron-binding ligands and humic substances in the San Francisco Bay estuary and estuarine-influenced shelf regions of coastal California. Mar Chem 173:183–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2014.11.005
Catrouillet C, Davranche M, Dia A et al (2014) Geochemical modeling of Fe(II) binding to humic and fulvic acids. Chem Geol 372:109–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.02.019
Chen H, Zheng B, Song Y, Qin Y (2011) Correlation between molecular absorption spectral slope ratios and fluorescence humification indices in characterizing CDOM. Aquat Sci 73:103–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-010-0164-5
Chen M, Lee J-H, Hur J (2015) Effects of sampling methods on the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter in sediment pore waters as revealed by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:14841–14851. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4656-7
Chin Y-P, Traina SJ, Swank CR, Backhus D (1998) Abundance and properties of dissolved organic matter in pore waters of a freshwater wetland. Limnol Oceanogr 43:1287–1296. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1998.43.6.1287
Coble PG (1996) Characterization of marine and terrestrial DOM in seawater using excitation–emission matrix spectroscopy. Mar Chem 51:325–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4203(95)00062-3
Coble PG (2007) Marine optical biogeochemistry: the chemistry of ocean color. Chem Rev 107:402–418. https://doi.org/10.1021/cr050350+
Cory RM, McKnight DM (2005) Fluorescence spectroscopy reveals ubiquitous presence of oxidized and reduced quinones in dissolved organic matter. Environ Sci Technol 39:8142–8149. https://doi.org/10.1021/es0506962
Cory RM, Miller MP, McKnight DM et al (2010) Effect of instrument-specific response on the analysis of fulvic acid fluorescence spectra. Limnol Oceanogr Methods 8:67–78. https://doi.org/10.4319/lom.2010.8.67
Filella M (2009) Freshwaters: which NOM matters? Environ Chem Lett 7:21–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-008-0158-x
Filella M (2010) Quantifying “humics” in freshwaters: purpose and methods. Chem Ecol 26:177–186
Fujii M, Imaoka A, Yoshimura C, Waite TD (2014) Effects of molecular composition of natural organic matter on ferric iron complexation at circumneutral pH. Environ Sci Technol 48:4414–4424. https://doi.org/10.1021/es405496b
Gao Y, Yan M, Korshin G (2015) Effects of calcium on the chromophores of dissolved organic matter and their interactions with copper. Water Res 81:47–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.05.038
Guo X, Zhu N, Chen L et al (2015) Characterizing the fluorescent properties and copper complexation of dissolved organic matter in saline–alkali soils using fluorescence excitation–emission matrix and parallel factor analysis. J Soils Sediments 15:1473–1482. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1113-7
Hansen AM, Kraus TEC, Pellerin BA et al (2016) Optical properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM): effects of biological and photolytic degradation. Limnol Oceanogr 61:1015–1032. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10270
Hayakawa K, Sekino T, Yoshioka T et al (2003) Dissolved organic carbon and fluorescence in Lake Hovsgol: factors reducing humic content of the lake water. Limnology 4:25–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10201-003-0092-3
Helms JR, Mao J, Schmidt-Rohr K et al (2013) Photochemical flocculation of terrestrial dissolved organic matter and iron. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 121:398–413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2013.07.025
Hiriart-Baer VP, Smith REH (2005) The effect of ultraviolet radiation on freshwater planktonic primary production: the role of recovery and mixing processes. Limnol Oceanogr 50:1352–1361. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2005.50.5.1352
Huguet A, Vacher L, Relexans S et al (2009) Properties of fluorescent dissolved organic matter in the Gironde Estuary. Org Geochem 40:706–719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2009.03.002
Imai A, Fukushima T, Matsushige K, Kim YH (2001) Fractionation and characterization of dissolved organic matter in a shallow eutrophic lake, its inflowing rivers, and other organic matter sources. Water Res 35:4019–4028. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(01)00139-7
Jaffé R, Boyer JN, Lu X et al (2004) Source characterization of dissolved organic matter in a subtropical mangrove-dominated estuary by fluorescence analysis. Mar Chem 84:195–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2003.08.001
Kaplan Bekaroglu SS, Yigit NO, Karanfil T, Kitis M (2010) The adsorptive removal of disinfection by-product precursors in a high-SUVA water using iron oxide-coated pumice and volcanic slag particles. J Hazard Mater 183:389–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.07.037
Kida M, Maki K, Takata A et al (2015) Quantitative monitoring of aquatic humic substances in Lake Biwa, Japan, using the DAX-8 batch method based on carbon concentrations. Org Geochem 83–84:153–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2015.03.015
Kida M, Ohtsuka T, Kato T et al (2016) Evaluation of salinity effect on quantitative analysis of aquatic humic substances using nonionic DAX-8 resin. Chemosphere 146:129–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.12.031
Kida M, Tomotsune M, Iimura Y et al (2017) High salinity leads to accumulation of soil organic carbon in mangrove soil. Chemosphere 177:51–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.02.074
Kikuchi T, Fujii M, Terao K et al (2017) Correlations between aromaticity of dissolved organic matter and trace metal concentrations in natural and ef fl uent waters: a case study in the Sagami River Basin, Japan. Sci Total Environ 576:36–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.068
Korak J, Dotson AD, Summers RS, Rosario-Ortiz FL (2014) Critical analysis of commonly used fluorescence metrics to characterize dissolved organic matter. Water Res 49:327–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2013.11.025
Kowalczuk P, Cooper WJ, Whitehead RF et al (2003) Characterization of CDOM in an organic-rich river and surrounding coastal ocean in the South Atlantic Bight. Aquat Sci 65:384–401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-003-0678-1
Krachler R, Krachler RF, Wallner G et al (2016) Sphagnum-dominated bog systems are highly effective yet variable sources of bio-available iron to marine waters. Sci Total Environ 556:53–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.012
McKnight DM, Boyer EW, Westerhoff PK et al (2001) Spectrofluorometric characterization of dissolved organic matter for indication of precursor organic material and aromaticity. Limnol Oceanogr 46:38–48. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2001.46.1.0038
Miller MP, Simone BE, McKnight DM et al (2010) New light on a dark subject: comment. Aquat Sci 72:269–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-010-0130-2
Morris DP, Zagarese H, Williamson CE et al (1995) The attenuation of solar UV radiation in lakes and the role of dissolved organic carbon. Limnol Oceanogr 40:1381–1391. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1995.40.8.1381
Parlanti E, Wörz K, Geoffroy L, Lamotte M (2000) Dissolved organic matter fluorescence spectroscopy as a tool to estimate biological activity in a coastal zone submitted to anthropogenic inputs. Org Geochem 31:1765–1781. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0146-6380(00)00124-8
Piirsoo K, Viik M, Kõiv T et al (2012) Characteristics of dissolved organic matter in the inflows and in the outflow of Lake Võrtsjärv, Estonia. J Hydrol 475:306–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.10.015
Sholkovitz E (1976) Flocculation of dissolved organic and inorganic matter during the mixing of river water and seawater. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 40:831–845
Spencer RG, Butler KD, Aiken GR (2012) Dissolved organic carbon and chromophoric dissolved organic matter properties of rivers in the USA. J Geophys Res 117:14P. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JG001928
Sulzberger B, Durisch-Kaiser E (2009) Chemical characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM): a prerequisite for understanding UV-induced changes of DOM absorption properties and bioavailability. Aquat Sci 71:104–126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-008-8082-5
Sun Q, Wang C, Wang P et al (2014) Absorption and fluorescence characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the Yangtze Estuary. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21:3460–3473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2287-4
Tang J, Li X, Luo Y et al (2016) Spectroscopic characterization of dissolved organic matter derived from different biochars and their polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) binding affinity. Chemosphere 152:399–406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.03.016
Taylor NS, Kirwan JA, Yan ND et al (2015) Metabolomics confirms that dissolved organic carbon mitigates copper toxicity. Environ Toxicol Chem 35:635–644. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3206
Thurman EM, Malcolm RL (1981) Preparative isolation of aquatic humic substances. Environ Sci Technol 15:463–466. https://doi.org/10.1021/es00086a012
Tranvik LJ, Downing JA, Cotner JB et al (2009) Lakes and reservoirs as regulators of carbon cycling and climate. Limnol Oceanogr 54:2298–2314. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2009.54.6_part_2.2298
Tsuda K, Takata A, Shirai H et al (2012) A method for quantitative analysis of aquatic humic substances in clear water based on carbon concentration. Anal Sci 28:1017–1020. https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.28.1017
Tsuda K, Kida M, Aso S et al (2016) Determination of aquatic humic substances in Japanese lakes and wetlands by the carbon concentration-based resin isolation technique. Limnology 17:1–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10201-015-0455-6
Watanabe A, Moroi K, Sato H et al (2012) Contributions of humic substances to the dissolved organic carbon pool in wetlands from different climates. Chemosphere 88:1265–1268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.04.005
Weishaar JL, Aiken GR, Bergamaschi BA et al (2003) Evaluation of specific ultraviolet absorbance as an indicator of the chemical composition and reactivity of dissolved organic carbon. Environ Sci Technol 37:4702–4708. https://doi.org/10.1021/es030360x
Wetzel RG, Hatcher PG, Bianchi TS (1995) Natural photolysis by ultraviolet irradiance of recalcitrant dissolved organic matter to simple substrates for rapid bacterial metabolism. Limnol Oceanogr 40:1369–1380. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1995.40.8.1369
Weyhenmeyer GA, Prairie YT, Tranvik LJ (2014) Browning of boreal freshwaters coupled to carbon–iron interactions along the aquatic continuum. PLoS One 9:7P. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0088104
Xiao Y, Räike A, Hartikainen H, Vähätalo AV (2015) Iron as a source of color in river waters. Sci Total Environ 536:914–923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.06.092
Yang L, Chang S, Shin H, Hur J (2015) Tracking the evolution of stream DOM source during storm events using end member mixing analysis based on DOM quality. J Hydrol 523:333–341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.01.074
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge that the manuscript was substantially improved by constructive comments from the editors and three reviewers. This study was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant nos. 15H05240 and 15H02805.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Morimaru Kida: Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kida, M., Fujitake, N., Suchewaboripont, V. et al. Contribution of humic substances to dissolved organic matter optical properties and iron mobilization. Aquat Sci 80, 26 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-018-0578-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-018-0578-z