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Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays an important role in carbon cycling in natural waters. The processing of DOM in these waters can occur via photooxidation, or interaction with sunlight. This processing can lead to the production of CO2, and also the alteration of organic compounds that make up DOM. It is likely that the extent of photooxidation is at least partially determined by the chemical composition of DOM. Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) was used to characterize the dissolved organic matter at the molecular level for all water samples, both before and after light exposure to better understand the photooxidation of DOM. Chemical formulas were assigned to mass to generated mass to charge ratios using a custom script in R, resulting in a list of chemical formula assignments for each DOM sample, at multiple light exposure time points. 

Abstract Many challenges remain before we can fully understand the multifaceted role that natural organic matter (NOM) plays in soil and aquatic systems. These challenges remain despite the considerable progress that has been made in understanding NOM’s properties and reactivity using the latest analytical techniques. For nearly 4 decades, the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS, which is a non-profit scientific society) has distributed standard substances that adhere to strict isolation protocols and reference materials that are collected in bulk and originate from clearly defined sites. These NOM standard and reference samples offer relatively uniform materials for designing experiments and developing new analytical methods. The protocols for isolating NOM, and humic and fulvic acid fractions of NOM utilize well-established preparative scale column chromatography and reverse osmosis methods. These standard and reference NOM samples are used by the international scientific community to study NOM across a range of disciplines from engineered to natural systems, thereby seeding the transfer of knowledge across research fields. Recently, powerful new analytical techniques used to characterize NOM have revealed complexities in its composition that transcend the “microbial” vs. “terrestrial” precursor paradigm. To continue to advance NOM research in the Anthropocene epoch, a workshop was convened to identify potential new sites for NOM samples that would encompass a range of sources and precursor materials and would be relevant for studying NOM’s role in mediating environmental and biogeochemical processes. We anticipate that expanding the portfolio of IHSS reference and standard NOM samples available to the research community will enable this diverse group of scientists and engineers to better understand the role that NOM plays globally under the influence of anthropogenic mediated changes. 

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a complex mixture of organic compounds found in all natural waters. Its composition affects its reactivity towards numerous processes. Its composition is a function of both its source (e.g., allochthonous or autochthonous) as well as the extent of environmental processing it has undergone (e.g., chemical or biological degradation). Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy is an analytical technique commonly used to assess the composition of dissolved organic matter in water samples. Here, we present spectra from Lake Mendota samples collected from June - November in 2017 at the surface of Lake Mendota as well as at specific depths within the water column. All samples were collected near the NTL-LTER research buoy. Absorbance values are listed for wavelengths 200 - 800 nm for each sample. 

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a complex mixture of organic compounds found in all natural waters. Its composition affects its reactivity towards numerous processes. Its composition is a function of both its source (e.g., allochthonous or autochthonous) as well as the extent of environmental processing it has undergone (e.g., chemical or biological degradation). Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) allows for the characterization of dissolved organic matter at the molecular level. The water sample was collected near the NTL-LTER research buoy on Lake Mendota. Formula assignments were made to raw mass to charge ratios detected in the mass spectrum using a custom processing script and resulting in a list of chemical formulas making up the DOM sample.