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Photochemical degradation of oil products in seawater monitored by 3D excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy: implications for coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) studies

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Abstract

Fluorescence 3D excitation emission matrix (EEM) spectra of oil products in artificial seawater were monitored as a function of irradiation time in a solar simulator. EEMs were obtained for an excitation range of 240–400 nm and an emission range of 248–830 nm; this is the wavelength range typically used in chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) EEM studies in natural waters. This allows for comparison to prior work on CDOM in an oil-contaminated salt marsh that attributed a fluorescent component in the tryptophan/tyrosine protein-region to oil. For comparison, EEMs were also measured for a broader excitation range of 220–400 nm typically used in oil related studies to capture the primary oil peak at lower excitation wavelengths. Fluorescence intensities in both excitation wavelength ranges decayed exponentially with irradiation time consistent with first-order kinetics. There was little change in wavelength for primary oil peaks. However, in the CDOM, wavelength range peaks typically shifted to longer excitation and shorter emission wavelengths, moving into the protein peak region of the CDOM EEM spectrum. This is consistent with a decrease in the complexity of the structure of the organic material. Half-lives for photodegradation ranged from 0.36 to 7.2 days for the oil wavelength range and 0.14 to 28 days for the CDOM wavelength range. Higher density oils typically had higher degradation rate constants. Peak locations and peak behaviour are consistent with the primary fluorophore in the oil products being PAH-related.

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Funding

The authors thank the National Science Foundation (CHE #1337396) for funding this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA

    Warren de Bruyn, Daniel Chang, Tiffany Bui & Sovanndara Hok

  2. Department of Chemistry, College of Science and Engineering, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, 98225, USA

    Catherine Clark

Authors
  1. Warren de Bruyn
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  2. Daniel Chang
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  3. Tiffany Bui
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  4. Sovanndara Hok
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  5. Catherine Clark
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Correspondence to Catherine Clark.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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de Bruyn, W., Chang, D., Bui, T. et al. Photochemical degradation of oil products in seawater monitored by 3D excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy: implications for coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) studies. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 34777–34787 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3190-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3190-9

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