Characterization and distribution of organic matter using specific physico-chemical methods: A case study of the southeast Adriatic continental and shelf slope (Albania)

In May 2009, we characterized the organic matter in the area where Albanian shelf riverine plume waters enter the Southern Adriatic Pit region. Due to stable weather and hydrological conditions at the time of sampling a longitudinal thermal front was present around the Albanian shelf break. Our measurements point to the input of inorganic nutrients, including phosphorus (average P-PO4 concentration was 0.71 μg/L) and nitrogen (average as total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) concentration was 25.33 μg/L) due to the intrusion of Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) through the Otranto Strait. The input of LIW brings high salinity (∼38.7) water that is poor in organic matter content. Low concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (0.7 mg C/L) and particulate organic carbon (POC) (0.06 mg C/L), surface active substances (SAS) (in the range from 0.025 to 0.078 mg/L equiv. Triton-X-100) and copper complexing capacity (CuCC) (24 nmol Cu2+/L) were measured in the area. All the values for DOC, POC, SAS and CuCC were significantly lower in the Albanian coastal waters than in the North Adriatic. The measurable influence of the inflowing Albanian rivers was observed from the inverse dependance of the DOC concentrations and salinity data. The Albanian rivers contribute to the elevated nutrient concentrations especially those of silicate, which displayed concentrations up to 380 μg/L in the shallowest coastal station.