Optical characterization of chromophoric dissolved organic matter at eutrophic and oligotrophic parts of a semi-enclosed bay (İzmir, Aegean Sea)

Optical characterization of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) from Izmir Bay (Aegean Sea) waters was investigated. For sampling, surface and subsurface seawater from 7 stations were collected in summer 2015. Excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectra of each sample were recorded on a fluorescence spectrophotometer. The results showed that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and EEM peaks were increased from the outer bay to inner bay stations. EEM peaks indicated the presence of both humic-like and protein-like components which were higher at middle-inner bays than outer bay. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients for EEM peak intensities and DOC concentrations were highly positive (p<0.05). HIX found between 0.73-3.51, whereas BIX ranged from 0.31 to 0.96 in the bay. Humification degree of CDOM in the middle-inner bays were higher compared to outer bay stations. High HIX values in the middle-inner bays could be linked to the presence of Melez stream (heavily polluted), other streams, rain run-offs and maritime activities at Izmir Bay. High BIX values in the middle-inner bays indicated presence of freshly produced DOM from bacterial origin. Optical characterization of CDOM could be used for tracing fluorescent DOM components and determining different DOM sources (autochthonous or allochthonous) in further studies.