• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.353-363
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• 2021

Fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) is referred to organic matter which absorbs efficiently solar radiation energy and fluorescence in the water column. The component and molecular structure of marine organic matter can be changed depending on the various substances and origins of organic matter, and then the organic matter has unique fluorescent properties. As the cutting-edge analytical techniques of optical measurement continuously developing from last few decades, a study on FDOM has been applied as a biogeochemical tracer to quantify the organic matter concentration and to investigate the behaviors and origins of organic matter. Especially, the marine environment around the Korean Peninsula is an ideal research area to study FDOM because of various oceanographic characteristics and the origins of organic matter. This study describes the general properties of FDOM and introduces the cycling and behaviors of marine organic matter based on the domestic research studies.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2021

In order to evaluate the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM), as indicators of organic matter in the coastal environments, we measured the concentrations of DOC, FDOM, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in saline groundwater (Woljeong, Pyoseon, and Hwasun beaches) and coastal seawater (Haengwon, Gwideok, Pyoseon, and Yeongnak) in Jeju, Korea. The highest concentrations of DOC and COD in groundwater were found in Woljeong and Pyoseon, and those in coastal water were observed in Haengwon and Pyoseon, indicating that the higher concentrations of DOC and COD seem to be associated with saline groundwater-driven dissolved organic matter (DOM) and/or biogeochemical processes. According to origin and optical properties of DOM using FDOM as a tracer, proportion of humic-like FDOM, more refractory DOM, was relatively greater in the groundwater than in the coastal water. With regard to this result, there was no relationship between DOC and COD in groundwater, while DOC showed a good positive correlation (r² = 0.66) with COD in coastal water. This result indicates that COD as an indicator of assessment of DOM has a limitation in which it is difficult to quantify refractory DOM. Although DOC is a potential alternative to COD in the coastal environments, particulate organic carbon cannot be negligible due to relatively higher concentration compared to the open ocean. Therefore, the use of total organic carbon (TOC) as a replacement of COD in the coastal ocean is important, and the evaluation criterion of the TOC is necessary in order to evaluate of organic matter indicator in the various coastal environments.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.194-205
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• 2020

The characteristics and behavior of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were determined by analyzing the molecular weight fractions and fluorescence properties of water samples in the downstream Nakdong River. Biogeochemical water quality parameters and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) were analyzed at five sampling points in the downstream area of the Nakdong River January-August 2019. The molecular weight fractions of the DOM were separated by the Liquid Chromatography-Organic Carbon Detection (LC-OCD). The DOM predominantly comprised humic substances, followed by the building blocks, low molecular weight neutrals and biopolymers. The hydrophobic (aromatic) and hydrophilic properties were shown as coexisting, as most of the SUVA_254nm values were under four. The FDOM was characterized as humic-like (FDOM_H) with allochthonous origin and protein-like (FDOM_P) with autochthonous origin; the FDOM_H with autochthonous origin was also identified. The FDOM_H relies on the aromaticity of the allochthonous organic matter and increases during summer. The FDOM_H and FDOM_P, which depend on the biodegradable dissolved organic matter from phytoplankton, were highly fluorescent in winter. The allochthonous organic matter was the dominant factor contributing to the behavior of the DOM, externally introduced to the river by rainfall. The FDOM only minimally contributed to the behavior of the DOM. It can be explained as the seasonal characteristics of the DOM, varied by the source of the organic matter.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.spc
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• pp.62-66
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• 2005

The distributions of fluorescent whitening agents (FWA) in the water of the Yasu River and their tributaries flowing into Lake Biwa (Japan) were surveyed on winter and summer. The FWA fluxes had linear correlation with the corrected resident population in catchments of the tributaries of Yasu River. Therefore, the FWAs in the rivers come from domestic wastewater, and those fluxes in the tributaries depended on the human population of their catchments. As an application of the FWA indicating domestic wastewater, we could assess seasonal changes in the sources of dissolved organic matter in the tributaries.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.87-99
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• 2007

This study was conducted to understand the source and behavior of organic matter using the fluorescent technique (excitation-emission matrix) as a part of environmental monitoring program in the Korea manganese nodule mining site in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean. Water samples were collected at $0^{\circ},\;6^{\circ}N$, and $10.5^{\circ}N$ along $131.5^{\circ}W$ in August 2005. The concentration of total organic carbon (TOC) ranged from 58.01 to $171.93\;{\mu}M-C$. The vertical distribution of TOC was characterized as higher in the surface layer and decreased with depth. At $6^{\circ}N$, depth-integrated (from surface to 200 m depth) TOC was $337.1\;gC/m^2$, which was 1.4 times higher value than other stations. The exponential decay curve fit of vertical profile of TOC indicated that 59% of organic carbon produced by primary production in the surface layer could be decomposed by bacteria in the water column. Dissolved organic matter is generally classified into two distinctive groups based on their fluorescence characteristics using three-dimensional excitation/emission (Ex/Em) fluorescence mapping technique. One is known as biomacromolecule (BM; protein-like substance; showing max. at Ex 280/Em 330), mainly originated from biological metabolism. The other is geomacromolecule (GM; humic-like substance; showing max. at Ex 330/Em 430), mainly originated from microbial degradation processes. The concentration of BM and GM was from 0.42 to 7.29 TU (tryptophan unit) and from 0.06 to 1.81 QSU (quinine sulfate unit), respectively. The vertical distribution of BM was similar to that of TOC as high in the surface and decreased with depth. However, the vertical distribution of GM showed the reverse pattern of that of BM. From these results, it appeared that BM occupied a major part of TOC and was rapidly consumed by bacteria in the surface layer. GM was mainly transformed from BM by microbial processes and was a dominant component of TOC in the deep-sea layer.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.519-525
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• 2011

A three-dimensional ecological model(EMT-3D) was applied to DAS1 in Tokyo Bay. The simulated results of DAS1 were in good agreement with the observed values. The result of sensitivity analysis showed that photolysis coefficient and extinction coefficient were important factor for dissolved DAS1, and photolysis coefficient, extinction and POC partition coefficient for PAHs in particulate organic matter. Mass balance of DAS1 in Tokyo Bay was calculated by using the simulated results of EMT-3D.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.341-354
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• 1995

Fluorescence characteristic and amino acids composition of organic matter were determined from extracted seawater samples at eight stations in the East Sea of Korea. Organic compounds have been extracted onto C-18 Sep-Pak cartridges. Three dimensional excitation/emission fluorescence contouring of extracts showed two markedly distinct characterized fluoroscopies representing protein-like biomacromolecule and humic-like geomacromolecule. Protein-like biomacromolecule showing fluorescence maxima at 280 nm/330 nm (excitation/emission) were abundant in the surface mixed layer and then apparently decreased below the thermocline at most stations. It suggests that source of biomacromolecule is comely related with vigorous biological synthetic activity in the surface layer and bacteria decompose its biologically labile components near the thermocline and in the deeper layer. On the other hand, humiliate geomacromolecule showing fluorescence maxima at 330 nm/430 nm (excitation/emission) were low in the surface mixed layer implying photochemical oxidation and then increased below the thermocline at most stations. It suggests that geomacromolecule might be transformed by condensation of bio-refractoryorganic fraction after decomposition of biomacromolecule and particulate organic carbon derived from the surface mixed layer. HPLC measurements of amino acids showed similar composition between seawater and extracted organic macromolecule after hydrolysis. Glycine, serine and alanine were predominant, accounting for more than 50% of total amino acids. Dissolved free amino acids of seawater were more abundant in the surface layer(0.7∼1.8 uM) than the deeper layer (0.2∼0.4 uM). D/L racemic ratio of alanine of extracted organic matter showed lower value in the surface layer than the deeper layer. It suggests that biomacromolecule predominant in the surface layer is relatively young, rapidly recycling and biologically labile.