| Abstract: | Activated charcoal chromatography was used to isolate dissolved organic matter from a series of water samples collected in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, during 1975–1976. The range of dissolved organic carbon values in the samples was 1.46–3.75 mg OC/1. A relatively constant amount of organic carbon was isolated giving overall recoveries of 23 to 63% (mean of 45%). The isolated organic matter was characterized by spectrophotometric measurements, stable carbon isotope determinations, and copper solubilizing capacities. In general, the isolated material displayed considerable constancy in terms of the parameters measured. However, several chemical variations were detected that were probably related to the introduction of organic matter from diatom blooms and terrigenous runoff. |
