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Quantification of natural DOM from UV absorption

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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>18/12/2009
<mark>Journal</mark>Environmental Chemistry
Issue number6
Volume6
Pages (from-to)472-476
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

The precise simulation of ultraviolet absorption by 23 contrasting surface-water DOM samples was achieved with a model based on two components, one absorbing light strongly (A) and the other weakly (B). The parameterised
model can be used to predict [DOC] inwater samples simply from absorbance values at twowavelengths,while information on DOM quality is provided by the calculated fractionation into A and B. The model was tested by predicting [DOC]
for a separate dataset obtained by combining results for 12 samples each from surface waters in the UK, Canada and the USA, and from UK groundwaters. A close correlation (R2 =0.997) was obtained, with only slight underestimation
of the true [DOC]. The proportions of components A and B varied considerably among the sites, which explains why precise prediction of [DOC] from absorbance data at a single wavelength was not possible. When the model was applied to samples collected from river locations in a heterogeneousUKcatchment with areas of industry and high human population, [DOC] was underestimated in many cases, which may indicate the presence of non-absorbing pollutant DOM.