Relationship between non-point source pollution and fluorescence fingerprint of riverine dissolved organic matter is season dependent

Abstract

The source identification of water pollution and quantification of pollution sources are vital for water environment management. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) affects the form, solubility, and toxicity of pollutants, so the migration and transformation of DOM are crucial for water quality assessment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify pollution sources and quantify their contribution in water environments using fluorescence fingerprint of DOM. The Danjiangkou Reservoir and its main tributaries were selected as the study area. The DOM fluorescence components of pollution source samples were analyzed and the quantitative relationship between DOM spectral indices and nitrate isotopes (δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^-) was established. It was found that humic-like substances were mainly derived from non-point source (NPS) pollution and protein-like substances were from point source (PS) pollution. The fluorescence index (FI) of DOM was positively correlated with PS pollution and negatively correlated with NPS pollution. The quantitative relationship between three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence spectra characteristics of DOM and water quality indicators or NPS pollution was established, which realized the convenient quantitative evaluation of pollution load and pollution source contribution using DOM fluorescence spectra characteristics. The strength of the correlation between DOM fluorescence spectra characteristics and water quality indicators (or NPS pollution) was affected by seasonal rainfall due to changes in the contribution of PS and NPS pollution. This study provides a new approach for source identification of water pollution and quantification of pollution sources using 3D fluorescence fingerprint of DOM.

Keywords: Dissolved organic matter; Fluorescence characteristics; Quantitative assessment; Source identification; Water pollution.