Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) from two microcosm incubation experiments conducted under three light treatments using water originating from West Bay of the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina USA in 2021 and 2022

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) was collected for two microcosm incubation experiments. Sample water originated from West Bay of the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina USA in 2021 and 2022. The microcosms were 60 liters, conducted in biological duplicates under three light treatment incubations: 12-hour light-dark cycle of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), 12-hour light-dark cycle of UV-B radiation, or darkness. Samples were collected from the microcosms in duplicate every few days for over one month to examine how light and the resulting microbial activity altered the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) pool over time. Absorbance spectra of 0.2 micron filtered estuarine water was measured from 190 - 1100 nanometers (nm) on a Genesys 10S UV-Vis spectrophotometer for the calculation of absorbance coefficients, spectral slopes, and slope ratio which describe the organic matter complexity as it develops throughout the incubations.