Spatiotemporal Variation of Riverine Dissolved Organic Matter Degradation Based on EEMs-PARAFAC: A Case Study of Shili River in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, China, as a Typical Demonstration City of the Yangtze River protection Strategy

Abstract

This study investigated the spatio-temporal distribution of dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition and its sources before and after degradation in the Shili River watershed in Jiujiang (China). Spatio-temporal variation of riverine DOM water samples before and after five days of degradation in a simulated channel was characterized by spectral feature analysis using three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis. Across all water samples (#1,#2 and #3) before and after degradation, a total of four fluorescent components in DOM were identified: C1, C2, C3, and C4. The aromaticity index (SUVA254) was negatively correlated with the C2 and C3 components and biological index (BIX) and freshness index (β:α), but it had little correlation with the humification index (HIX). The greater the aromaticity of DOM in water, the lower the proportion of recently produced DOM and its biological activity. The C3 component had a strong positive correlation with BIX, β:α, and C2. The results suggested that C2 and C3 were derived from the same substances. According to the fluorescence parameters, DOM was dominated by autochthonous contributions. The fluorescence intensity of DOM increased gradually along the direction of water flow. The increase of water temperature in spring and autumn enhanced the endogenous level of DOM. The levels and fluctuations of BIX and β:α in different seasons and different sampling points were basically consistent. DOC concentration does not fully represent the localized nature of the DOM. The analysis of some fluorescence parameters and light absorption parameters showed that the DOM source was more internal than terrestrial. This study reveals the composition, source and temporal and spatial characteristics of DOM in the Shili River Basin, which has theoretical guiding significance for water environment management.