[Studies on fluorescence spectral characteristics of fulvic acid (FA) from Xingkai Lake sediments]

Four samples (sample No. HXXD, HXXX, HXDX and HXDB) were taken from Xingkai Lake Sediments in Heilongjiang province and fluorescence spectral characteristics of Fulvic acid (FA) from sediments were studied. Conventional and excitation-emission matrix (EEM) all indicated that FA from HXXD sediment exhibited primary peaks at longer wavelengths. The analysis of fluorescence characteristic parameters indicated that the degree of humification of FA from all sample points were in the order: HXXD > HXDX > HXDB > HXXX. Fluorescence index (f450/500) suggested that FA from HXXD mainly originated from terrestrial sources, while the FA from other samples mainly originated from aquatic organism sources and terrestrial sources. Based on EEM fluorescence regional integration (FIR), the percent fluorescence responses (P(i, n)) of five regions in 3EEMs was calculated. The distributions of P(V, n) (humic acid-like region) and P(III, n) (fulvic acid-like region) were the largest in all samples. The conclusion of the degree of humification of FA based on FIR was consistent with the analysis of conventional fluorescence parameters. The correlation analysis showed that, gamma(A, C) was significantly correlative with P(V, n)/P(III, n), (P(V, n) + P(III, n))/(P(I, n) + P(II, n) + P(III, n)) and P(V, n). The results suggest that gamma(A, C) index is a reasonable tool for assessing humification degree of FA from Xingkai Lake sediments.