Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Coupled Geochemical And Biogeochemical Approach To Characterize The Bioreactivity Of Dissolved Organic Matter From A Headwater Stream, Rachel L. Sleighter, Rose M. Cory, Louis A. Kaplan, Hussain A.N. Abdulla, Patrick G. Hatcher

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The bioreactivity or susceptibility of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to microbial degradation in streams and rivers is of critical importance to global change studies, but a comprehensive understanding of DOM bioreactivity has been elusive due, in part, to the stunningly diverse assemblages of organic molecules within DOM. We approach this problem by employing a range of techniques to characterize DOM as it flows through biofilm reactors: dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, excitation emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMs), and ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. The EEMs and mass spectral data were analyzed using a combination of multivariate statistical approaches. We found that 45% …