Dissolved Organic Matter Biodegradation Research Articles

Synergistic effects of urban tributary mixing on dissolved organic matter biodegradation in an impounded river system

Dams and wastewater may greatly perturb riverine fluxes of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and CO2, yet little is known about the relationships between altered DOM quality and CO2 emission in eutrophic impounded river systems. A basin-wide field survey of surface water CO2 and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was combined with laboratory incubations to examine how dams and urban tributaries delivering treated wastewater influence longitudinal patterns in DOM properties and CO2 along the impounded Han River traversing Seoul metropolitan area. Fluorescent DOM indices including parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) components were used to characterize DOM in relation to biodegradable DOC (BDOC). Compared with distinct downstream increases in DOC and CO2, BDOC concentration and its proportion in DOC (%BDOC) were highly variable along the mainstem and peaked at urban tributaries. Longitudinal increases in fluorescence index (FI), biological index (BIX), and two PARAFAC components (C2 and C3) contrasted with general decreases in humification index (HIX) and C1, reflecting increasing downstream inputs of anthropogenic DOM. During a 5-day incubation employing continuous CO2 measurements, the cumulative production of CO2 in the mainstem water mixed with urban tributary water was significantly higher than the level expected for conservative mixing of the two samples, indicating a synergistic enhancement of DOM biodegradation. Molecular formulas identified by Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) revealed more consumed molecules in the mainstem water and more newly produced molecules in the tributary water over the 5-day incubation, implying abundant labile components in the mainstem water discharged from the upstream dam and highly processed tributary DOM limited in immediately biodegradable organic materials. Downstream increases in CO2 and DOC along the Han River, combined with the synergistic effect observed in the mixed water, suggest that mixing wastewater-derived DOM with labile autochthonous DOM can enhance CO2 production in the river system perturbed by impoundment and wastewater.

Influence of different redox conditions and dissolved organic matter on pesticide biodegradation in simulated groundwater systems

Insights into the influence of redox conditions, that is the availability of electron acceptors, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) on pesticide biodegradation in groundwater are key to understanding the environmental fate of pesticides in natural groundwater systems. Here, the influence of redox conditions and supplemental DOM addition on biodegradation of pesticides, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM), mecoprop-p (MCPP) and bentazone, was tested in microcosm and subsequent column experiments. Pesticide degradation, functional genes and changes in specific fractions and quantity of DOM were systematically quantified. In aerobic microcosm experiments, the highest 2,4-D degradation rate was obtained with the presence of more assimilable DOM. In column experiments, minimal pesticide degradation (≤33.77%) in any anaerobic redox conditions was observed in the absence of DOM. However, in the presence of DOM, 2,4-D biodegradation was considerably enhanced under nitrate-reducing conditions (from 23.5 ± 10.2% to 82.3 ± 11.6%) and in a column without external electron acceptor amendment (from −6.3 ± 12.6% to 31.1 ± 36.3%). Observed preferential depletion of the fulvic acid fraction of DOM provides indications for specific functional DOM properties. The qPCR results show an increase in microbial biomass and functional genes (tfdA) in liquid phase after DOM addition. The results of this work provide insights into the interplays among DOM, redox geochemistry, and pesticide biodegradation, and show the potential of a novel approach – DOM addition to groundwater systems – for in situ biostimulation technology to remove pesticides from groundwater systems.

Dry phase conditions prime wet‐phase dissolved organic matter dynamics in intermittent rivers

AbstractDuring the dry phase of intermittent rivers, diverse particulate organic materials, such as leaf litter or macrophytes, remain on dry riverbeds. Together with riverbed sediments, these organic substrates are exposed to various environmental conditions that can alter their chemical composition, with potential implications for later use by heterotroph consumers when flow is re‐established. Here, we investigate how different environmental conditions during the dry phase alter quantity, composition, and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) leached from dry riverbeds. To this end, we simulated the “preconditioning” of various DOM sources during a dry phase of 60 d under conditions mimicking open‐ and closed‐canopy rivers. Over the whole experiment, we produced leachates for measurements of nutrients and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, DOM characterization by absorbance and fluorescence measurements and ultrahigh‐resolution mass spectrometry, and DOM biodegradability. We found that rain, solar radiation, and its associated heat greatly affected leached DOM quantity, composition, and biodegradability. Under open‐canopy conditions, sporadic rain caused the impoverishment of nutrients and DOC by leaching, whereas intense solar radiation and associated heat resulted in a drop of DOM quality and biodegradability by accelerated humification of DOM. In contrast, the preconditioning of DOM sources under a closed canopy barely affected DOM quality and biodegradability because of the protection from rain, solar radiation, and heat by the forest vegetation. Our results suggest that contrasting environmental conditions during the dry phase in open‐ vs. closed‐canopy intermittent rivers can translate into radically different DOM processing during the early wet phase.

Homogenization of dissolved organic matter within a river network occurs in the smallest headwaters

Understanding the drivers of variability in the concentration and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in running waters is a fundamental challenge for aquatic biogeochemistry. Although multiple conceptual frameworks have been proposed to quantify expected changes in DOM within a river network, few studies have collected data to document the variability of DOM within such a network. We examine spatial and temporal variability in the concentration, optical properties, and biodegradability of DOM within a river network in New Hampshire, U.S.A. We examined dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and DOM optical properties across 21 locations within the Lamprey River network (548 km2) with weekly to monthly sampling for 4 years, and biodegradable DOC (BDOC) at 7 mainstem locations for 1 year. DOC concentration and DOM character were highly heterogeneous at the scale of the smallest streams, where variability in land cover and nutrient concentrations were also greatest. At the landscape scale, DOC concentrations and DOM aromaticity increased with wetland cover and decreased with developed land cover and nitrate concentrations. Despite this heterogeneity across streams, we observed similar synchronous seasonal variation in DOC concentration and DOM character regardless of position within the river network, suggesting that broad environmental factors shape the sources and transport of DOM in river networks. In contrast, variation in BDOC over time or across sites was not strongly related to DOM quality or other predictors. Spatiotemporal patterns in DOM provide insight into the complex processes that influence terrestrial carbon export, in-stream processes, and DOM delivery to downstream ecosystems.

Understanding Dissolved Organic Matter Reactivity and Composition in Lakes and Streams Using Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS)

Here, we present a novel approach for investigating dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition using thermal desorption proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), a technique that provides insight into the molecular composition of DOM < m/z 500 (termed “PTR-DOC”). The applicability of PTR-MS for understanding the relationship between DOM composition and reactivity has yet to be explored. We present results from a synoptic sampling campaign of streams and lakes in a Swedish forest catchment where we measured DOM composition using PTR-MS and traditional optical methods and conducted DOM biodegradability assays. PTR-DOC comprised ≤12% of the total DOC pool. We found significant relationships between PTR-DOC and DOM degradability; reduced chemodiversity and low concentrations of PTR-DOC were both associated with the total DOM pool being more susceptible to microbial degradation. Furthermore, molecular differences were apparent among headwater lakes, headwater streams, and lakes further down the catc...

Effects of the interaction between temperature and revegetation on the microbial degradation of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) – A DOM incubation experiment

DOM is the most bioavailable organic pool in the soil. The restoration of vegetation on abandoned cropland has a major impact on the concentration and composition of the DOM and thus affects the biodegradability of the soil DOM. Understanding the response of the microbial degradation of the DOM to temperature is important to maintain soil bioavailable organic matter in the field. We conducted a laboratory DOM solution incubation experiment to examine the temporal dynamics of DOM concentrations at temperatures of 4 °C (low), 20 °C (medium), and 35 °C (high) for four types of land uses: sloped cropland, grassland, shrub land, and woodland. Ultraviolet–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to determine the structural complexity of the DOM. The conversion of the sloped cropland to shrub land and woodland significantly increased contents of DOC, DON, and recalcitrant substances in DOM soilution, such as humic-like material and fulvic acid, and stabilised the DOC pool, and reduced the decomposition of the DOC at 20 °C and 35 °C. The conversion of the sloped cropland to woodland dramatically reduced TDN decomposition. The DON loss after 60-day incubation significantly correlated with the initial content of tryptophan-like material. The biodegradability of the DON was higher and more sensitive to temperature than that of the DOC. Rising temperature initially promotes the decomposition of tryptophan-like material, and later promotes the degradation of more recalcitrant substances, such as humic-like material and fulvic acid, which enhanced the decomposition of the DOC and DON. The results suggest that the conversion of sloped cropland to shrubland and woodland not only promoted the accumulation of DOC, TDN, and recalcitrant substances in DOM solution, and decreased their biodegradability but also decreased the temperature sensitivity of the decomposition of the DOC and DON. Therefore, shrubland and woodland were the optimal choices for revegetation in the Loess Plateau of China.

Factors influencing structural heat-induced structural relaxation of dissolved organic matter

Physical and chemical structure affect properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Recent observations revealed that heating and cooling cycles at higher temperature amplitude lead to a change in DOM physical conformation assumingly followed by a slow structural relaxation. In this study, changes at lower temperature amplitudes and their relation to DOM composition were investigated using simultaneous measurements of density and ultrasonic velocity in order to evaluate the adiabatic compressibility, which is sensitive indicator of DOM structural microelasticity. Six fulvic acids (FAs) having various origins were analyzed at concentrations of 0.12, 0.6 and 1.2 g L−1 and at different temperature amplitudes. First, we validated that the used technique is sensitive to distinguish conclusively the structural changes upon heating and cooling of DOM with heating/cooling amplitude of ± 3 °C and higher. This amplitude was then applied to observe the relationship between change in adiabatic compressibility and chemical composition of FA. No correlation was observed with elemental composition and aromatic structures. Positive correlations were observed with content of alkyl moieties, carboxylic and carbonyl carbons and biological activity. Based on literature data, it was concluded that alkyl moieties undergo (re)crystalization during thermal fluctuation and their structural relaxation back is very slow (if occurs). The polar moieties form a flexible hydrogel responding to thermal fluctuation by moderate dissolution and re-aggregation. Negative correlation was observed in relation to the amount of peptide and O-alkyl systems, which can be attributed to very fast structural relaxation of proteinaceous materials, i.e. their larger content leads to lower difference between original and heat-induced compressibility. Last, the increase of the heating/cooling amplitude from ± 3 to ± 15 °C resulted in an increase of the change of the adiabatic compressibility and in the extension of the relaxation time needed for DOM structure to return to the equilibrium. We conclude that this increase is caused by the increase in inner energy, and DOM conformation can reach a cascade of energy minima, which may influence DOM reactivity and biodegradability.

Influence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) characteristics on dissolved mercury (Hg) species composition in sediment porewater of lakes from southwest China

The origin and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in porewater of lake sediments is intricate and decisive for fate of pollutants including mercury (Hg). While there are many reports on the relationship between dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC) and mercury (Hg) concentrations in aquatic systems, there are few in which DOM compositional properties, that may better explain the fate of Hg, have been the focus. In this study, porewaters from sediments of three lakes, Caihai Lake (CH), Hongfeng Lake (HF) and Wujiangdu Lake (WJD), all located in southwest China, were selected to test the hypothesis that DOM optical properties control the fate of Hg in aquatic ecosystems. Porewater DOM was extracted and characterized by UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. A two end-member (autochthonous and allochthonous DOM) mixing model was used to unveil the origin of DOM in porewaters of the three lakes. Our results show a higher input of terrestrial DOM in the pristine lake CH, as compared to lakes HF and WJD lakes, which were both influenced by urban environments and enriched in autochthonous DOM. While the relationships between the concentrations of DOC and the different chemical forms of Hg forms were quite inconsistent, we found important links between specific DOM components and the fate of Hg in the three lakes. In particular, our results suggest that allochthonous, terrestrial DOM inhibits Hg(II) availability for Hg methylating micro-organisms. In contrast, autochthonous DOM seems to have been stimulated MeHg formation, likely by enhancing the activity of microbial communities. Indeed, DOM biodegradation experiments revealed that differences in the microbial activity could explain the variation in the concentration of MeHg. While relationships between concentrations of DOC and Hg vary among different sites and provide little information about Hg cycling, we conclude that the transport and transformation of Hg (e.g. the methylation process) are more strongly linked to DOM chemical composition and reactivity.

Effect of photo-biodegradation and biodegradation on the biogeochemical cycling of dissolved organic matter across diverse surface water bodies.

The objective of this research was to quantify the temporal variation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in five distinct waterbodies in watersheds with diverse types of land use and land cover in the presence and absence of sunlight. The water bodies were an agricultural pond, a lake in a forested watershed, a man-made reservoir, an estuary, and a bay. Two sets of samples were prepared by dispensing unfiltered samples into filtered samples in 1:10 ratio (V/V). The first set was exposed to sunlight (10 hr per day for 30 days) for examining the combined effect of photo-biodegradation, while the second set was stored in dark for examining biodegradation alone. Spectroscopic measurements in tandem with multivariate statistics were used to interpret DOM lability and composition. The results suggest that the agricultural pond behaved differently compared to other study locations during degradation experiments due to the presence of higher amount of microbial humic-like and protein-like components derived from microbial/anthropogenic sources. For all samples, a larger decrease in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration (10.12% ± 9.81% for photo-biodegradation and 6.65% ± 2.83% for biodegradation) and rapid transformation of DOM components (i.e., terrestrial humic-like components into microbial humic and protein-like components) were observed during photo-biodegradation experiments. Results suggest that sunlight facilitated DOM biodegradation, resulting in simpler recalcitrant molecules regardless of original composition. Overall, it was found that combined effects of light and bacteria are more efficient than bacterial effects alone in remineralizing and altering DOM, which highlights the crucial importance of sunlight in transforming aquatic DOM.

Effects of dissolved organic matter and nitrification on biodegradation of pharmaceuticals in aerobic enrichment cultures

Natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) and nitrification can play an important role in biodegradation of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in aerobic zones of constructed wetlands (CWs). This study used an enrichment culture originating from CW sediment to study the effect of DOM and nitrification on aerobic biodegradation of seven PhACs. The enriched culture degraded caffeine (CAF), metoprolol (MET), naproxen (NAP), and ibuprofen (IBP) with a consistent biodegradability order of CAF>MET>NAP>IBP. Biodegradation of propranolol, carbamazepine, and diclofenac was insignificant (<15%). CAF biodegradation was inhibited by the easily biodegradable DOM. Conversely, DOM enhanced biodegradation of MET, NAP, and IBP, potentially by contributing more biomass capable of degrading PhACs. Nitrification enhanced biodegradation of NAP and IBP and mineralization of the PhAC mixture as well as less biodegradable DOM, which may result from co-metabolism of ammonia oxidizing bacteria or enhanced heterotrophic microbial activity under nitrification. MET biodegradation was inhibited in the presence of nitrification. DOM and nitrification effects on PhAC biodegradation in CWs gained from this study can be used in strategies to improve CW operation, namely: designing hydraulic retention times based on the biodegradability order of specific PhACs; applying DOM amendment; and introducing consistent ammonium streams to increase removal of PhACs of interest.

Structure and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter from Ultisol treated with long-term fertilizations

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a labile and reactive fraction of soil organic matter. Ultisol usually has low content of organic matter. Fertilization is a normal way in regulating the state of soil organic matter. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different fertilizations on the content, distribution, structure, and biodegradability of DOM from Ultisol. Ultisol treated by no fertilizer (Ck), chemical fertilizer (NPK), the mixture of chemical fertilizer and straw (NPKS), and animal manure (AM) were collected from a long-term fertilization experimental site. Soil DOM was extracted by deionized water with solid to water ratio of 1:5. The concentration of dissolved organic carbon and total soluble nitrogen in DOM was determined by TOC analyzer. The structure of DOM was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy through the emission spectra, excitation spectra, synchronous-scan spectra, and excitation-emission matrix. Soil DOM was incubated for 21 days after the addition of soil microbial inoculum and nutrient solution, the biodegradability of DOM was estimated by calculating the percentage of dissolved organic carbon lost after 21 days of incubation. The content of dissolved organic carbon in the soil of Ck, NPK, NPKS, and AM was 22.14, 27.05, 36.08, and 56.04 mg/kg, respectively. The distribution of dissolved organic carbon on large macroaggregate increased from 47.0% in Ck to 65.0–71.5% in fertilized treatments but that on small macroaggregate decreased from 35.5% in Ck to 18.3–19.9% in fertilized treatments. Similar peak wavelength and a fluorophore at wavelength pair of 330–340ex/406–422em were found in all examined DOM. However, a sequence of AM > NPKS > NPK > Ck was found in the fluorescence intensity of examined DOM, indicating the simplification of DOM structure induced by fertilization. The biodegradability of DOM from the Ck, NPK, NPKS, and AM treatment after 21 days of incubation was 23.9, 28.7, 34.2, and 42.7%, respectively. Organic and inorganic fertilization increased the content of DOM from Ultisol. Compared to the Ck treatment, the fertilization treatments increased the distribution of dissolved organic carbon on large macroaggregate but reduced its distribution on small macroaggregate. Humic acid-like compounds were the dominant fractions in DOM from all treatments. DOM from Ck and NPK treatments had more complex molecular structure and lower biodegradability than that from NPKS and AM treatments.

Biodegradability of dissolved organic matter in Boom Clay pore water under nitrate-reducing conditions: Effect of additional C and P sources

In Belgium, Boom Clay is considered a potential host rock for the deep geological disposal of nuclear waste such as Eurobitum, an intermediate-level nitrate-containing radioactive waste form. The presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Boom Clay may play an important role in the mobility of radionuclides due to complexation and/or reduction of redox-sensitive radionuclides. The biodegradation of this DOM could therefore affect the barrier function of the Boom Clay. Due to the presence of nitrate leaching from Eurobitum into the clay formation, the biodegradation of DOM by a nitrate-reducing population cannot be ruled out in the Boom Clay surrounding a Eurobitum repository. In this paper, the biodegradability of DOM in Boom Clay pore water (BCPW) under nitrate-reducing conditions was investigated in the presence or absence of additional nutrients (i.e., acetate and phosphate) expected to be present in the clay surrounding a Eurobitum repository. The results of these experiments indicate that microbial nitrate reduction and the related degradation of DOM are performed by a syntrophic microbial community but are characterised by very slow kinetics. Nitrate-reducing microorganisms seem to be (at least partially) dependent on fermentation products such as acetate provided by fermenting microorganisms. The observed slow biodegradation of DOM appears to be linked to the characteristics of Boom Clay DOM, rather than to a limitation of nutrients necessary for microbial growth. The addition of phosphate only boosts the microbial growth of certain microbial species but not the biodegradation of DOM. On the other hand, acetate significantly enhances the microbial degradation of DOM. This result can be attributed to the use of acetate as an efficient C source for certain DOM-degrading microbial species and/or as a co-substrate to stimulate DOM degradation.

Towards a better control of the wastewater treatment process: excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy of dissolved organic matter as a predictive tool of soluble BOD5 in influents of six Parisian wastewater treatment plants.

The online monitoring of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in raw sewage water is expected to better control wastewater treatment processes. Fluorescence spectroscopy offers one possibility for both the online and real-time monitoring of DOM, especially as regards the DOM biodegradability assessment. In this study, three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy combined with a parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) has been investigated as a predictive tool of the soluble biological oxygen demand in 5days (BOD5) for raw sewage water. Six PARAFAC components were highlighted in 69 raw sewage water samples: C2, C5, and C6 related to humic-like compounds, along with C1, C3, and C4 related to protein-like compounds. Since the PARAFAC methodology is not available for online monitoring, a peak-picking approach based on maximum excitation-emission (Ex-Em) localization of the PARAFAC components identified in this study has been used. A good predictive model of soluble BOD5 using fluorescence spectroscopy parameters was obtained (r2 = 0.846, adjusted r2 = 0.839, p < 0.0001). This model is quite straightforward, easy to automate, and applicable to the operational field of wastewater treatment for online monitoring purposes.

Impact of Cyanobacterial Associate and Heterotrophic Bacteria on Dissolved Organic Carbon and Metal in Moss and Peat Leachate: Application to Permafrost Thaw in Aquatic Environments

In the boreal and subarctic zone, the moss and peat interactions with rainwater and snowmelt water in shallow surface ponds control the delivery of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and metal to the rivers and further to the Arctic Ocean. The transformation of peat and moss leachate by common aquatic microorganisms and the effect of temperature on DOM mineralization by heterotrophs remain poorly known that does not allow predicting the response of boreal aquatic system to ongoing climate change. We used experimental approach to quantify the impact of boreal aquatic bacteria P. reactans, and two culturable bacteria extracted from a thaw lake of the permafrost zone (Bolshezemelskaya tundra, NE Europe): Iodobacter sp. and cyanobacterial associate dominated by order Chroococcales (Synechococcus sp). The interaction of these bacterial cultures with nutrient-free peat and moss leachate was performed in order to (1) quantify the impact of temperature (4, 25 and 45 °C) on peat leachate processing by heterotrophs; (2) compare the effect of heterotrophic bacteria and cyanobacterial associate on moss and peat leachate chemical composition, and (3) quantify the DOC and metal concentration change during cyanobacterial growth on leachate from frozen and thawed peat horizon and moss biomass. The efficiency of peat DOM processing by two heterotrophs was not modified by temperature rise from 4 to 45 °C. The DOC concentration decreased by a factor of 1.6 during 3 days of moss leachate reaction with Iodobacters sp. or cyanobacterial associate at 25 °C. The SUVA245 increased twofold suggesting an uptake of non-aromatic DOM by both microorganisms. The growth of cyanobacteria was absent on peat leachate but highly pronounced on moss leachate. This growth produced tenfold decrease in P concentration, a factor of 1.5–2.0 decrease in DOC, a factor of 4 and 100 decrease in Fe and Mn concentration, respectively. Adsorption of organic and organo-mineral colloids on bacterial cell surface was more important factor of element removal from organic leachates compared to intracellular assimilation and/or Fe oxyhydroxide precipitation. Overall, we demonstrate highly conservative behavior of peat leachate compared to moss leachate in the presence of culturable aquatic bacteria, a lack of any impact of heterotrophs on peat leachate and their weak impact on moss leachate. A very weak temperature impact on DOM processing by heterotrophs and lack of difference in the biodegradability of DOM from thawed and frozen peat horizons contradict the current paradigm that the warming of frozen OM and its leaching to inland waters will greatly affect microbial production and C cycle. Strong decrease in concentration of P, Fe and Mn in the moss leachate in the presence of cyanobacterial associate has straightforward application for understanding the development of thermokarst lakes and suggests that, in addition to P, Fe and Mn may become limiting micronutrients for phytoplankton bloom in thermokarst lakes.

Climatic and watershed controls of dissolved organic matter variation in streams across a gradient of agricultural land use

Human land use has led to significant changes in the character of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in lotic ecosystems. These changes are expected to have important environmental and ecological consequences. However, high spatiotemporal variability has been reported in previous studies, and the underlying mechanisms remain inadequately understood. This study assessed variation in the properties of stream water DOM within watersheds across a gradient of agricultural land use with grazing pasture lands as the dominant agricultural type in the southeastern United States. We collected water samples under baseflow conditions five times over eight months from a regional group of first- to fourth-order streams. Samples were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, DOM quality based on absorbance and fluorescence properties, as well as DOM biodegradability. We found that air temperature and antecedent hydrological conditions (indicated by antecedent precipitation index and stream water sodium concentrations) positively influenced stream water DOC concentration, DOM fluorescence index, and the proportion of soil-derived, microbial humic fluorescence. This observation suggests that elevated production and release of microbial DOM in soils facilitated by high temperature, in conjunction with strong soil-stream hydrological connectivity, were important drivers for changes in the concentration and composition of stream water DOM. By comparison, watersheds with a high percentage of agricultural land use showed higher DOC concentration, larger proportion of soil-derived, humic-like DOM compounds, and higher DOC biodegradability. These observations reflect preferential mobilization of humic DOM compounds from shallow organic matter-rich soils in agricultural watersheds, likely due to enhanced soil erosion, organic matter oxidation and relatively shallow soil-to-stream flow paths.

Transformation of dissolved organic matter and related trace elements in the mouth zone of the largest European Arctic river: experimental modeling

The relationship between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and heterotrophic bacterioplankton controls the ecological status of freshwater ecosystems and the fate of metals in aquatic environments. To improve our understanding of physicochemical and biological processes controlling the DOC and related trace elements in the Arctic estuary, we conducted experiments of the biodegradation and physicochemical coagulation of DOM and associated trace elements. For the experiments, water from the estuarine zone of the Severnaya Dvina River in Russia, the largest pristine European Arctic river, was mixed with sterile river water from the freshwater zone, sampled during spring flood in June and summer base flow in August. We revealed a lack of transformation of allochthonous organic matter in spring and measurable degradation of more autochthonous DOM in summer. According to their behavior during incubation experiments, several groups of trace metals were distinguished, comprising (1) nonconservative Fe, Mn, Al, trivalent (Ga, Y, rare earth elements) and tetravalent (Ti, Zr, Hf, Th) hydrolysates, subjected to significant removal from solution, especially at low salinities (0.5–2.5‰); and (2) divalent metals such as Ba, Cd, and Pb, subjected to desorption from suspended particulate matter. The trace elements present in the form of oxyanions and neutral molecules (B, Si, As, Sb, Mo) and alkalis (Rb) exhibited highly conservative behavior with negligible removal from the freshwater–seawater mixtures. The spring flood, providing the largest contribution to the annual riverine flux to the ocean, demonstrated high stability of freshwater dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and divalent metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd) to both physicochemical coagulation and biodegradation. This may imply a less significant transformation of the riverine DOC and metal micronutrients delivery to the Arctic Ocean compared to a traditional estuarine removal scheme.

Biodegradation kinetics of dissolved organic matter chromatographic fractions in an intermittent river

AbstractControls on the degradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) are complex but key to understand the role of freshwaters in the carbon cycle. Both the origin and previous degradation history have been suggested to determine DOM reactivity, but it is still a major challenge to understand the links between DOM composition and biodegradation kinetics. An appropriate context to study these links are intermittent rivers, as summer drought naturally diversifies DOM sources and sinks. Here we investigated the biodegradation kinetics of DOM in the main aquatic environments present in a temporary river. During dark incubations we traced the dynamics of bulk DOM and its main chromatographic fractions defined using LC‐OCD: high molecular weight substances (HMWS), low molecular weight substances (LMWS), and humic substances and building blocks. Bulk DOM decay patterns were successfully fitted to the reactivity continuum (RC) biodegradation model. The RC parameters depicted running waters as the sites presenting a more reactive DOM, and temporary pools, enriched in leaf litter, as the ones with slowest DOM decay. The decay patterns of each DOM fraction were consistent throughout sites. LMWS and HMWS decayed in all cases and could be modeled using the RC model. Notably, the dynamics of LMWS controlled the bulk DOM kinetics. We discuss the mechanistic basis for the chromatographic fractions' kinetics during biodegradation and the implications that preconditioning and summer drought can have for DOM biodegradation in intermittent rivers.

Hydrological changes of DOM composition and biodegradability of rivers in temperate monsoon climates

Summary The spatial and hydrological dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition and biodegradability were investigated for the five largest rivers in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) during the years 2012–2013 using incubation experiments and spectroscopic measurements, which included parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The lower reaches of the five rivers were selected as windows showing the integrated effects of basin biogeochemistry of different land use under Asian monsoon climates, providing an insight on consistency of DOM dynamics across multiple sites which could be difficult to obtain from a study on an individual river. The mean dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of the five rivers were relatively low, ranging from 1.4 to 3.4 mg L −1 , due to the high slope and low percentage of wetland cover in the basin. Terrestrial humic- and fulvic-like components were dominant in all the rivers except for one, where protein-like compounds were up to ∼80%. However, terrestrial components became dominant in all five of the rivers after high precipitation during the summer monsoon season, indicating the strong role of hydrology on riverine DOM compositions for the basins under Asian monsoon climates. Considering that 64% of South Korea is forested, our results suggest that the forests could be a large source of riverine DOM, elevating the DOM loads during monsoon rainfall. Although more DOM was degraded when DOM input increased, regardless of its sources, the percent biodegradability was reduced with increased proportions of terrestrially derived aromatic compounds. The shift in DOM quality towards higher percentages of aromatic terrestrial compounds may alter the balance of the carbon cycle of coastal ecosystems by changing microbial metabolic processes if climate extremes such as heavy storms and typhoons become more frequent due to climate change.

Decomposition and humification of dissolved organic matter in swine manure during housefly larvae composting.

Housefly larvae (Musca domestica) composting has been increasingly adopted as an efficient practice to achieve value-added swine manure bioconversion, but few researches have evaluated the features of compost maturity by examining the biochemical compositions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in compost. Here, we adopted spectrum fingerprint technologies to explore the related transformation mechanisms of DOM in compost by conducting field investigations in a full-scale housefly larvae composting farm. The 1-week composting with larvae significantly decreased DOM concentrations from 192.9 to 77.1 g kg(-1) The hydrolysis of proteins and lipids were enhanced during composting, as well as a build-up of aromatic substances, while contents of fulvic- and humic-like substances were augmented on Day 5 and Day 6 (ranged from 0.04 to 0.65 and 0.11 to 0.59 for Fmax, respectively). Compared with traditional composting without the aid of larvae, the stronger biodegradation of DOM and the subsequent formation of humus in compost, led to a higher level of aromaticity and humification under housefly larvae bioconversion, generating a more stable bio-product for downstream utilisation.

Effects of plant-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) on soil CO2 and N2O emissions and soil carbon and nitrogen sequestrations

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soils play an essential role in soil physical, chemical and biological processes, but little information is available on the biodegradability of plant-derived DOM and its effect on soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration in field soils. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impacts of crop residue-derived DOM on soil CO2 and N2O emissions, as well as soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration by adding water extracts of maize stalk (i.e., plant-derived DOM) to soils. In this study, wheat was grown in pots under field conditions with treated soils, the soils treatments were: plant-derived DOM (PDOM), urea nitrogen (N), PDOM+urea nitrogen (PDOM+N), as well as a control with no additions to soil (CK). Adding plant-derived DOM to soil increased soil CO2 and N2O emissions (P<0.05). During the wheat growing season, the cumulative CO2–C emission from CK, PDOM, N and PDOM+N was 107±1, 157±7, 136±2 and 149±6gCm−2, respectively. Meanwhile, the cumulative N2O–N emission from CK, PDOM, N and PDOM+N was 188±8, 256±5, 239±10 and 258±7mgNm−2, respectively. Compared with N treatment, DOM addition had little effect on soil N sequestration, but it accelerated the decomposition of native soil organic carbon (SOC) and caused a net loss of SOC. The soil C sequestration decreased about 151±67 and 51±45gCm−2 in PDOM and PDOM+N treatments, respectively. The increased microbial biomass and root biomass were responsible for the greater CO2 emission in DOM-amended soils. Negative correlation between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content and N2O flux suggested that the release of N2O was dependent on the supply of DOC. These results indicated that the supply of plant-derived DOM exacerbated soil CO2 and N2O emissions and reduced soil C sequestration. Therefore, agricultural management practices that increase the stability of highly soluble C inputs and/or retard the decomposition of crop residues should be adopted to decrease soil greenhouse gas emission and increase soil C sequestration.