Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in both high As groundwater and low As groundwater were sampled from the Hetao basin and characterized by FT-ICR-MS for OM molecular characteristics. Results show that the greater number of molecular formulas was identified in DOM of high As groundwater (5125), compared to the number in DOM of low As groundwater (3603). Among them, lignins and aromatic structures were the most abundant compounds in both high As groundwater and low As groundwater, with 4434 formulas and 2944 formulas identified, respectively. The number of biodegradable compounds (aliphatic/proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates) was less in high As groundwater (197) than that in low As groundwater (279). Higher proportion of lignins and aromatic structures (86.5%) would lead to complexation between As and DOM, which enhanced As mobility. On the other hand, higher proportion of lignins and aromatic structures and lower proportion of bioavailable compounds in high As groundwater supported the hypothesis that more bioavailable compounds were consumed and resulted in the enrichment of lignins and aromatic structures and As release into groundwater.
Characteristics of dissolved organic matter in shallow groundwater in the Hetao basin
