ADVANCES IN POLAR SCIENCE ›› 2016, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (4): 484-490.DOI: 10.13679/j.jdyj.2016.4.484

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Distribution and Source of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter in Surface Sediments from the Sea Area Surrounding the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Huo Cheng1, Li Panpan2, Ge Linke1, Na Guangshui1, Zhu Xiaomei2   

  • Received:2015-04-28 Revised:2015-06-15 Online:2016-12-30 Published:2016-12-30
  • Contact: Cheng HUO

Abstract:

Six surface sediment samples were collected from the sea area surrounding the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica. The UV-Visible absorption spectrum and three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy of the chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the sediment extraction liquid were analyzed. Moreover, the molecular weights, fluorescence components, and sources of the DOM were discussed. The results showed that the contents of DOC and sediment OC, values  of the absorption coefficients (a), and aging degree of the spectral slope ratio (SR) of the inshore samples were higher than the offshore samples. The three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy for all sampling sites indicated that CDOM in the extraction liquid comprised three fluorescent components: tryptophan-like, marine humic-like, and terrestrial humic-like material. The humic-like components of CDOM were derived mainly from autochthonous sources. Significant linear relationships between the contents of DOC, contents of sediment OC, values of the absorption coefficients (a280, a355 and a440), and HIX were observed, for which the correlation coefficients (r) were all >0.88 (P < 0.01).

Key words: Chromophoric dissolved organic matter, South Shetland Islands, surface sediment, three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy