Fluorescence Technique for Rapid Identification of DOM Fractions

The dissolved organic carbon parameter has typically been used as a measure of organic content in natural water. However, dissolved organic carbon is an aggregate parameter and does not provide information on the organic character of natural organic matter in water. Natural organic matter from New Jersey surface water sources was isolated and fractionated by resin adsorption into hydrophobic acid, hydrophobic neutral, hydrophobic base, hydrophilic acid, hydrophilic neutral, and hydrophilic base. The spectral fluorescent signature technique was developed for the identification of the six dissolved organic matter (DOM) fractions through a multiple linear regression model. High sensitivity, rapid identification, and quantification of DOM fractions are among the main advantages of this technique. The technique/model has spatial and temporal potential use for the rapid qualitative and quantitative measurement of the problematic DOM fraction(s) for source water characterization/assessment and water treatment process optimization.