1 research outputs found
Fluorescence Tracking of Dissolved and Particulate Organic Matter Quality in a River-Dominated Estuary
Excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence
was combined
with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to model base-extracted particulate
(POM) and dissolved (DOM) organic matter quality in the Neuse River
Estuary (NRE), North Carolina, before and after passage of Hurricane
Irene in August 2011. Principle components analysis was used to determine
that four of the PARAFAC components (C1–C3 and C6) were terrestrial
sources to the NRE. One component (C4), prevalent in DOM of nutrient-impacted
streams and estuaries and produced in phytoplankton cultures, was
enriched in the POM and in surface sediment pore water DOM. One component
(C5) was related to recent autochthonous production. Photoexposure
of unfiltered Neuse River water caused an increase in slope ratio
values (<i>S</i><sub>R</sub>) which corresponded to an increase
in the ratio C2:C3 for DOM, and the production of C4 fluorescence
in both POM and DOM. Changes to the relative abundance of C4 in POM
and DOM indicated that advection of pore water DOM from surface sediments
into overlying waters could increase the autochthonous quality of
DOM in shallow microtidal estuaries. Modeling POM and DOM simultaneously
with PARAFAC is an informative technique that is applicable to assessments
of estuarine water quality