Size distribution measurements of dissolved organic carbon in natural waters using ultrafiltration technique

Ultrafiltration is frequently used as a technique for size distribution measurement of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in natural waters. Concentrations of DOC in low molecular weight size classes may be underestimated if membrane rejection is neglected. A model was developed to improve the accuracy of size distribution measurements using an ultrafiltration technique. This model can be used for a large volume water sample, which is often required for trace element analysis in environmental samples. The model was applied to the size distribution analysis of DOC in water samples from the Florida Everglades and the results were in good agreement with that obtained using the model previously reported by Logan and Jiang.