Elsevier

Marine Chemistry

Volume 55, Issues 3–4, December 1996, Pages 299-316
Marine Chemistry

Research paper
Relationship between the optical properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter and total concentration of dissolved organic carbon in the southern Baltic Sea region

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4203(96)00061-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Absorption and fluorescence of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) measurements were performed during three oceanographic surveys in 1994 in the southern Baltic Sea (Polish area of the Baltic Proper). DOC was measured both by high-temperature catalytic oxidation (HTCO) and low-temperature oxidation (LTO) conventional persulphate methods. CDOM fluorescence was shown to be highly correlated with absorption, with the same regression parameters, despite the seasonal change in different hydrographic conditions and the fluorescence quantum yield variations (1.23 ± 0.07 in April and 0.97 ± 0.12 in September). The results show a good correlation between the optical parameters and DOC although ~ 70% of the DOC does not display significant absorption in the UV-visible range (350–750 nm). The non-absorbing DOC measured with HTCO method appears unaffected by seasonal changes. Consequently, total DOC can be predicted by optical methods using remote sensing techniques. The non-absorbing DOC measured by LTO method varies from 62% (April) to 76% (September), which implies that there is requirement for estimates on a seasonal basis.

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    Present address: Space Applications Institute, Marine Environment Unit J.R.C., 21020 Ispra (Va), Italy.

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