Organic Carbon Migration in Aquatic Environments

Organic matter in aqueous systems often controls geochemical processes by acting as proton donors/acceptors and pH buffers, by affecting the transport and degradation of pollutants, and by participating in mineral dissolution/ precipitation reactions. To more clearly understand the dynamics of carbon cycling and chemical transport, better definition of geochemical processes as they apply to dissolved organic carbon is required. In particular, understanding the chemical mechanisms controlling the fate and transport of both naturally occurring and anthropogenic compounds in ground water and sediments is needed. Objectives are to determine the role of chemical processes associated with bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on the transport of both naturally occurring and anthropogenic compounds -- these processes include sorption, partitioning, cosolute enhanced transport and colloidal interaction; to demonstrate that nonvolatile organic acids resulting from the degradation of organic matter are interactive components of aquatic environments; and to demonstrate that DOC interactions within a given environment control hydrophobic constituent transport in aqueous systems.

REPORTS PUBLISHED 1999-2008

Fan, Z., Neff, J.C., Harden, J.W., and Wickland, K.P. 2008, Boreal soil carbon dynamics under a changing climate -A model inversion approach: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 113, G04016, doi:10.1029/2008JG000723. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Hall, B.D., Aiken, G.R., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., and Swarzenski, C.M., 2008, Wetlands as principal zones of methylmercury production in southern Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico region: Environmental Pollution v. 154, p. 124-134. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Schuster, P.F., Shanley, J.B., Marvin-Dipasquale, M., Reddy, M.M., Aiken, G.R., Roth, D.A., Taylor, H.E., Krabbenhoft, D.P., and DeWild, J.F., 2008, Mercury and organic carbon dynamics during runoff episodes from a northeastern USA watershed : Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, v. 187, p. 89-108. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Shanley, J.B., Mast, A., Campbell, D.H., Aiken, G.R., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Hunt, R.J., Walker, J.F., Schuster, P.F., Chalmers, A., Aulenbach, B.T., Peters, N.E., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Clow, D.W., Shafer, M.M., 2008, Comparison of total mercury and methylmercury cycling at five sites using the small watershed approach: Environmental Pollution, v. 154, no. 1, p. 143-154. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Stubbins, A., Hubbard, V., Uher, G., Law, C.S., Upstill-Goddard, R.C., Aiken, G.R., and Mopper, K., 2008, Relating carbon monoxide photoproduction to dissolved organic matter functionality: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 42, p. 3271-3276. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Wickland, K.P., and Neff, J.C., 2008, Decomposition of soil organic matter from boreal black spruce forest: environmental and chemical controls: Biogeochemistry, , v. 87, p. 29-47. DOI 10.1007/s10533-007-9166-3. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Gasper, J D, Aiken, G.R. and Ryan, J.N., 2007, A critical review of three methods for the measurement of mercury (Hg⁺²)-dissolved organic matter stability constants: Applied Geochemistry, v 22, no. 8, p. 1583-1597. doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2007.03.018 (on-line abstract of journal article)

Izbicki, J.A., Pimental, I.M., Johnson, R., Aiken, G.R., and Leenheer, J.A., 2007, Concentration, UV-spectral characteristics and fractionation of DOC in stormflow from an urban stream, Southern California, USA: Environmental. Chemistry, v. 4, no. 1, p. 35-48. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Leenheer, J.L., Aiken, G.R., Woodside, G. and O'Connor-Patel, K., 2007, DOM in recharge waters of the Santa Ana River Basin: Journal of the American Water Works Association, v. 99, p. 118-131. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Raymond, P. A., McClelland, J.W.,. Holmes, R.M., Zhulidov, A.V., Mull, K., Peterson, B.J., Striegl, R.G.,. Aiken, G.R., and Gurtovaya, T.Y., 2007, Flux and age of dissolved organic carbon exported to the Arctic Ocean: A carbon isotopic study of the five largest arctic rivers: Global Biogeochemical Cycles, v. 21, GB4011, doi:10.1029/2007GB002934. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Striegl, R.G., Dornblaser, M.M., Aiken, G.R., Wickland, K.P., and Raymond, P.A., 2007, Carbon export and cycling by the Yukon, Tanana, and Porcupine Rivers, Alaska, 2001-2005, Water Resources Research v. 43, W02411, doi:10.1029/2006WR005201 (on-line abstract or on-line journal article in pdf format, 564 kb, published 2007 by American Geophysical Union, not subject to U.S. copyright)

Wickland, KP, Neff, JC, and Aiken, GR, 2007, Dissolved Organic Carbon in Alaskan Boreal Forest: Sources, Chemical Characteristics, and Biodegradability, Ecosystems, DOI 10.1007/s10021-007-9101-4 (on-line abstract of journal article)

Aiken, G.R., 2006, Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) characterization, in Schuster, P.F., ed., 2006, Water and sediment quality in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska, during water year 2004: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006-1258, chapt. 3, p. 22-24. (on-line chapter in pdf format)

Koterba , M.T., Andres, A.S., Vrabel, J., Crilley, D.M., Szabo, Z., DeWilde, J.F., Aiken, G.R. and Reyes-Padro, B., 2006, Occurrence and distribution of mercury in the surficial aquifer, Long Neck Peninsula, Sussex County, Delaware, 2003-04: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5011, 163 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 12 MB)

Ritter, K., Aiken, G.R., Ranville, J.F., Bauer, M., and MacCalady, D.L., 2006, Evidence for the aquatic binding of arsenate by natural organic matter-suspended Fe(III): Environmenal Science and Technology, v. 40, no. 17, p. 5380-5387. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Wickland, K.P., Striegl, R.G., Neff, J.C., and Sachs, T., 2006, Effects of permafrost melting on CO₂ and CH₄ exchange of a poorly drained black spruce lowland: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 111, G02011, doi:10.1029/2005JG000099. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Anesio, A.M., Graneli, W., Aiken, G.R., Kieber, D.J., Mopper, K., 2005, Effect of Humic Substance Photodegradation on Bacterial Growth and Respiration in Lake Water: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. v. 71, no. 10, p. 6267-6275. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Izbicki, J.A., Christensen, A.H., Newhouse, M.W., Aiken, G.R., 2005, Inorganic, isotopic, and organic composition of high-chloride water from wells in a coastal Southern California aquifer: Applied Geochemistry, v. 20, no. 8, p. 1496-1517. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Lin, Yi-Pin, Singer, P.C., and Aiken, G.R., 2005, Inhibition of calcite precipitation by natural organic matter:  Kinetics, mechanism, and thermodynamics: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 39, ,no. 17, p. 6420-6428. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Striegl, R.G., Aiken, G.R., Dornblaser, M.M., Raymond, P.A., and Wickland, K.P., 2005, A decrease in discharge-normalized DOC export by the Yukon River during summer through autumn: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 32, L21413, doi:10.1029/2005GL024413. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Waples, J.S., Nagy, K.L., Aiken, G.R., and Ryan, J.N., 2005, Dissolution of cinnabar (HgS) in the presence of natural organic matter: Geochimica and Cosmochimica Acta, v. 69, no. 6, p. 1575-1588. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Campbell, D.H., Mast, M.A., Ingersoll, G.P., Manthorne, D., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Taylor, H.E., Airen, G.R., Schuster, P.F., and Reddy, M.M., 2004, Atmospheric Deposition and fate of mercury in high-altitude watersheds of the Rocky Mountains: EOS Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 84, p. 46.

Schuster, P.F., Reddy, M.M., Aiken, G.R., and Shanley, J.B., 2004, What effect does permafrost have on dissolved organic carbon transport to streams during snowmelt, in Wanty, R.B., and Seal, II, R.R., eds., Water-Rock Interaction, Proceedings of the Eleventh International Symposium on Water-Rock Interaction, Saratoga Springs, New York, July 2004: New York, A.A. Balkema Publishers, v. 2, p. 1385-1389.

Aiken, G.R., 2003, Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) characterization, in Schuster, P.F., ed., Water and sediment quality in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska, during water year 2001: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-427, p. 23-26. (on-line abstract or on line report in pdf format, 1.3MB)

Aiken, G., Haitzer, M., Ryan, J.N., and Nagy, K., 2003, Interactions between dissolved organic matter and mercury in the Florida Everglades: Journal du Physique IV, v. 107, p. 29-32. (on-line abstract)

Haitzer, M., Aiken, G.R., and Ryan, J.N., 2003, Binding of Mercury(II) to Aquatic Humic Substances: Influence of pH and Source of Humic Substances: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 37, no. 11, p. 2436-2441. (on-line abstract)

Weishaar, J.L., Aiken, G.R., Bergamaschi, B.A., Fram, M.S., and Fujii, R., 2003, Evaluation of specific ultra-violet absorbance as an indicator of the chemical composition and reactivity of dissolved organic carbon: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 37, p. 4702-4708.

Aiken, G.R., Kaplan, L.A., and Weishaar, J., 2002, Assessment of relative accuracy in the determination of organic matter concentrations in aquatic systems: Journal of Environmental Monitoring, v. 4, p. 70-74. (on-line abstract)

Aiken, G.R., 2002, Organic matter in ground water, in Aiken, G.R., and Kuniansky, E.L., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Artificial Recharge Workshop Proceedings, Sacramento, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-89, p. 21-23. (on-line report)

Aiken, G.R., and Kuniansky, E.L., eds., 2002, U.S. Geological Survey Artificial Recharge Workshop Proceedings, Sacramento, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-89. (on-line report)

Drexel, R.T., Haitzer, M., Ryan, J.N., Aiken, G.R., and Nagy, K.L., 2002, Mercury (II) sorption to two Florida Everglades Peat: Evidence for strong and weak binding and competition by dissolved organic matter released from the peat: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 36, p. 4058-4064.

Haitzer, M., Aiken, G.R., and Ryan, J.N., 2002, Binding of mercury (II) to aquatic humic substances: The role of the mercury-to-DOM concentration ratio: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 36, p. 3564-3570.

Maurice, P.A., Pullin, M.J., Cabaniss, S.E., Zhou, Q., Namjesnik-Dejanovic, K., and Aiken, G.R., 2002, A comparison of surface water natural organic matter in raw filtered water samples, XAD, and reverse osmosis isolates: Water Research, v. 36, no. 9, p. 2357-2371. (on-line abstract)

Schmitt, D.A., Taylor, H.E., Aiken, G.R., Roth, D.A., and Frimmel, F.H., 2002, Influence of natural organic matter on the adsorption of metal ion onto clay particles: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 36, p. 2932-2938. (on-line abstract)

Shanley, J.B., Schuster, P.F., Reddy, M.M., Roth, D.A., Taylor, H.E., and Aiken, G.R., 2002, Mercury on the move during snowmelt in Vermont: EOS, v. 83, no. 5, p.45-48. (on-line report)

Benoit, J.M., Mason, R.P., Gilmour, C.C., and Aiken, G.R., 2001, Constants for Mercury Binding by Dissolved Organic Matter Isolates from the Florida Everglades: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 65, no. 24, p. 4445-4451. (on-line abstract)

Cozzarelli, I.M., Bekins, B.A., Baedecker, M.J., Aiken, G.R., Eganhouse, R.P. and Tuccillo, M.E., 2001, Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude-oil spill site; I. Geochemical evolution of the plume: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, v. 53, p. 369-385. (on-line abstract)

Reddy, M.M., and Aiken, G.R., 2001, Fulvic acid-sulfide ion competition for mercury ion binding in the Florida Everglades: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, v. 132, p. 89-104. (on-line abstract or on-line article)

Bergamaschi, B.A., Fram, M.S., Fujii,R., Aiken, G.R., Kendall, C., and Silva, S.R., 2000, Trihaolmethanes formed from natural organic material isolates - using isotopic and compositional data to help understand sources, in Barrett, S.S., Krasner, S.W., and Amy, G.L., eds., Natural organic matter and disinfection by-products: Washington DC, American Chemical Society Symposium Series no. 761, p. 206-222.

Cabaniss, S.E., Zhou, Q., Maurice, P.A., Chin, Y., and Aiken, G.R., 2000, A log-normal distribution model for the molecular weight of aquatic fulvic acids: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 34, p. 1103-1109. (on-line abstract)

Hoch, A.R., Reddy, M.M., and Aiken, G.R., 2000, Calcite crystal growth inhibition by humic substances with emphasis on hydrophobic acids from the Florida Everglades: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 64, p. 61-72. (on-line abstract)

Krabbenhoft, D., Hurley, J., Aiken, G., Gilmour, C., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Orem, W., and Harris, R., 2000, Mercury cycling in the Florida Everglades: a mechanistic field study: Verhandlungen Internat. Verein Limnologie, v. 27, no. 3, p. 1657-1660.

Leenheer, J.A., Croue, J.P., Benjamin, M., Korshin, G.V., Hwang, C.J., Bruchet, A., and Aiken, G.R., 2000, Comprehensive isolation of organic matter from water for spectral characterizations and reactivity testing, in Barrett, S.S., Krasner, S.W., and Amy, G.L., eds., Natural organic matter and disinfection by-products: Washington DC, American Chemical Society Symposium Series no. 761, p. 68-83.

Namjesnik-Dejanovic, K., Maurice, P.A., Aiken, G.R., Cabaniss, S., Chin, Y., Pullin, M.J., 2000, Adsorption and fractionation of a muck fulvic acid on kaolinite and goethite at pH 3.7, 6, and 8: Soil Science, v. 165, p. 545-559. (on-line abstract)

Wershaw, R.L., Aiken, G.R., Leenheer, J.A., and Tregellas, 2000, Structural-group quantitation by CP/MAS ¹³C NMR measurements of dissolved organic matter from natural waters, in Davies, G. and Ghabbour, E.A., Humic substances: Versatile components of plants, soil, and water: Cambridge, England, Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 63-82.

Bergamaschi, B.A., Fram, M.S., Kendall, C., Silva, S.R., Aiken, G.R., and Fujii, R., 1999, Carbon isotopic constraints on the contribution of plant material to the natural precursors of trihalomethanes: Organic Geochemistry, v. 30, p. 835-842. (on-line abstract)

Bergamaschi, B.A., Fram, M.S., Fujii,R., Aiken, G.R., Kendall, C., and Silva, S.R., 1999, The carbon isotopic composition of trihalomethanes formed from chemically distinct dissolved organic carbon isolates from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, USA, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program - Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 2 - Contamination of hydrologic systems and related ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018B, p. 99-107. (on-line abstract and to download report in pdf format)

Cozzarelli, I.M., Baedecker, M.J., Eganhouse, R.P., Tuccillo, M.E., Aiken, G.R., Bekins, B.A., and Jaeschke, J.B., 1999, Long-term geochemical evolution of the Bemidji Toxics site crude-oil plume, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program - Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3 - Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 123-132. (on-line abstract)

Croue, J.P., DeBroux, J.F., Aiken, G.R., Leenheer, J.A., and Amy, G.L., 1999, Natural organic matter: Structural characteristics and reactive properties, in Singer, P., ed., Formation and Control of Disinfection By-Products in Drinking Water, American Water Works Association, p. 65-93.

Everett, C.R., Chin, Y., and Aiken, G.R., 1999, High pressure size exclusion chromatography analysis of dissolved organic matter isolated by tagential flow ultrafiltration: Limnology and Oceanography, v. 44, p. 1316-1322. (on-line abstract)

Fram, M.S., Fujii, J.L., Weishaar, B.A., Bergamaschi, B.A., and Aiken, G.R., 1999, How DOC composition may explain poor correlation between specific trihalomethane formation potential and specific UV absorbance, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program - Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 2 - Contamination of hydrologic systems and related ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018B, p 423-430. (on-line abstract)

Meier, M., Namjesnik-Dejanovic, K., Maurice, P., Chin, Y.P., and Aiken, G.R., 1999, Fractionation of aquatic natural organic matter upon sorption to goethite and kaolinite: Chemical Geology, v. 157, p. 275-284. (on-line abstract)

Ravichandran, M., Aiken, G.R., Ryan, J.N., and Reddy, M.M., 1999, Inhibition of precipitation and aggregation of cinnabar (mercuric sulfide) by dissolved organic matter isolated from the Florida Everglades: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 33, p. 1418-1423. (on-line abstract)

Ryan, J.N., Aiken, G.R., Backus, D.A., Villholth, K.G., and Hawley, C.M., 1999, Investigating the potential for colloid- and organic matter-facilitiated transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in oil-contaminated ground water, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program - Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3 - Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 123-132. (on-line abstract)

Thorn, K.A., and Aiken, G.R., 1999, Polar metabolites of crude oil, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program - Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3 - Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 123-132. (on-line abstract)

Uhle, M.E., Chin, Y., Aiken, G.R., and McKnight, D.M., 1999, Binding of polychlorinated biphenyls to aquatic humic substances: The role of substrate and sorbate properties on partitioning: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 33, p. 2715-2718. (on-line abstract)

Westerhoff, P., Aiken, G., Amy, G., and Debroux, J., 1999, Relationships between the structure of natural organic matter and its reactivity towards molecular ozone and hydroxyl radicals: Water Research, v. 33, p. 2265-2276. (on-line abstract)

Westerhoff, P., Debroux, J., Aiken, G., and Amy, G., 1999, Ozone-induced changes in natural organic matter (NOM) structure: Ozone Science and Engineering, v. 21, p. 551-570.

For additional bibliographic citations by Kimberly Wickland, also see Characterization of Biotic and Biogeochemical Interactions at Environmental Interfaces

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT, CONTACT:
George R. Aiken
U.S. Geological Survey, 3215 Marine St., Boulder, CO 80303
Email: graiken@usgs.gov
Telephone: 303-541-3036

Kimberly P. Wickland
U.S. Geological Survey, 3215 Marine St., Boulder, CO, 80303
Email: kpwick@usgs.gov
Telephone: 303-541-3072

For information on additional projects in the National Research Program, see Indexes to NRP projects and bibliographies.