Photoinduced Evolutions of Permafrost-Derived Carbon in Subarctic Thermokarst Pond Surface Waters

Abstract

In subarctic regions, rising temperature and permafrost thaw lead to the formation of thermokarst ponds, where organics from eroding permafrost accumulate. Despite its environmental significance, limited knowledge exists regarding the photosensitivity of permafrost-derived carbon in these ponds. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to explore the photochemical transformations of organic matter in surface water samples from thermokarst ponds from different environments in northern Quebec, Canada. One pond near Kuujjuarapik is characterized by the presence of a collapsing palsa and is therefore organically rich, while the other pond near Umiujaq is adjacent to a collapsing lithalsa and thus contains fewer organic matters. Photobleaching occurred in the Umiujaq sample upon irradiation, whereas the Kuujjuarapik sample exhibited an increase in light absorbance at wavelength related to aromatic functionalities, indicating different photochemical aging processes. Ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry analysis reveals that the Kuujjuarapik sample preferentially photoproduced highly unsaturated CHO compounds with great aromaticity, while the irradiated Umiujaq sample produced a higher proportion of CHON aromatics with reduced nitrogen functionalities. Overall, this study illustrates that the photochemical reactivity of thermokarst pond water varies with the source of organic matter. The observed differences in reactivity contribute to an improved understanding of the photochemical emission of volatile organic compounds discovered earlier. Further insights into the photoinduced evolutions in thermokarst ponds may require the classification of permafrost-derived carbon therein.