Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Optical Properties

Soil samples were taken across a boreal forested watershed, in order to analyze the optical properties of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM), using absorbance and fluorescence. Such analysis could give a more thorough understanding into the molecular and chemical composition of the DOM, and its subsequent influence on surrounding systems. Water extractable organic matter (WEOM) was extracted from soil samples, and analyzed for dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC) which describes DOM quantity, and optical indices and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) model components, used to describe DOM composition.