Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter Impacted by Different Land Use in Haihe River Watershed, China

Zhaochuan Chen; Yanan Wen; Min Xiao; Fujun Yue; Wenxi Zhang

doi:10.3390/ijerph20032432

Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter Impacted by Different Land Use in Haihe River Watershed, China

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 30;20(3):2432. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032432.

Authors

Zhaochuan Chen¹, Yanan Wen¹, Min Xiao¹, Fujun Yue^{2

3}, Wenxi Zhang²

Affiliations

¹ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China.
² Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
³ Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China.

Abstract

It is important to explore characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the riverine system due to its critical role in the carbon cycle. This study investigated the distribution characteristics and sources of DOM based on excitation emission matrix three-dimensional fluorescence technology and parallel factor (EEM-PARAFAC) analysis at two rivers in northern China strongly impacted by human activities. The results show that the fluorescence intensity of terrestrial humic-like substances increased during summer in Haihe River. The intensity was significantly higher than in spring due to terrestrial detritus from runoff conveyance. The fluorescence intensity of protein-like substances in spring was the highest and decreased in summer. This feature of DOM in the Duliujian River was related to the increase in precipitation and surface runoff in the wet season and the rapid degradation of mixed DOM in the dry season. An analysis of HIX, BIX and FI showed a low degree of DOM humification and more endogenous contributions from microbial and phytoplankton degradation. Seasonal variations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and chromophoric DOM (CDOM, a_335, thereinto C1) suggest that chromophores, particularly terrestrial substances, regulate the temporal patterns of DOM in the two rivers. Combined with the analysis of the proportion of land use types in riparian buffers, tillage had a great impact on DOM content and hydrophobicity in Haihe River watershed. Domestic wastewater and industrial sewage discharge contribute more DOM to Duliujian River watershed, which was indicated by more abundant protein-like components (212.17 ± 94.63 QSU in Duliujian River;186.59 ± 238.72 QSU in Haihe River). This study highlights that different land use types resulted in distinctive sources and seasonal dynamics of DOM in rivers. Meanwhile, it should be considered that the estimation of carbon cycling should involve monitoring and evaluating anthropogenic inputs into rivers.

Keywords: EEM-PARAFAC analysis model; Haihe River; dissolved organic matter; land use; seasonal variations; source distribution.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China
Dissolved Organic Matter*
Humans
Humic Substances / analysis
Rivers*
Sewage
Spectrometry, Fluorescence
Wastewater

Substances

Dissolved Organic Matter
Wastewater
Sewage
Humic Substances

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42221001) and financial support from the Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations.