Abstract
Chemical equilibrium calculations treating humic substances as the simple diprotic phtalic acid, predicted no Al-humus at pH>6.5 in humic lake water. However, dissolved (<200 nm) organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved Al appeared to be linearly (r=0.597, P<0.001) correlated in samples from five different humic surface waters in The Netherlands with a DOC range of 10–36 mg.l−1 and a (mean) pH range of 6.85–8.47. Yet, organic carbon (Corg) and Al did no exhibit similar size distributions between 5 and 200 nm revealed by ultrafiltration. Averaged 25% of the Corg and >50% of the Al occurred in the fraction <5 nm. Only in this fraction the Corg and Al were linearly correlated (r=0.515, P<0.001). This result suggests the presence of organic ligands in the DOC pool of humic waters having smaller molecular sizes and higher Al stability constants than the humic substances used to model aquatic Al speciation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BACKES, C. A. and E. TIPPING, 1987. An evaluation of the use of cation-exchange resin for the determination of organically-complexed Al in natural acid waters. Int. J. envir. analyt. Chem., 30: 135–143.
DE HAAN, H., 1983. Use of ultraviolet spectroscopy, gel filtration, pyrolysis/mass spectrometry and numbers of benzoate-metabolizing bacteria in the study of humification and degradation of aquatic organic matter. In: R. F. Christman and E. T. Gjessing (eds.). Aquatic and Terrestrial Humic Materials. Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, pp. 165–182.
DE HAAN, H. and T. DE BOER, 1979. Seasonal variations of fulvic acids, amino acids and sugars in Tjeukemeer. The Netherlands. Arch. Hydrobiol., 85: 30–40.
DE HAAN, H., T. DE BOER, J. VOERMANN, H. A. KRAMER and J. R. MOED, 1984. Size classes of ‘dissolved’ nutrients in shallow, alkaline, humic and eutrophic Tjeukemeer, The Netherlands, as fractionated by ultrafiltration. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol., 22: 876–881.
DE HAAN, H. and T. DE BOER 1986. Geochemical aspects of aqueous iron, phosphorus and dissolved organic carbon in the humic Lake Tjeukemeer, The Netherlands. Freshwat. Biol., 16: 661–672.
DE HAAN, H. and J. VOERMAN, 1988. The chemistry of a typical Dutch reservoir, the Tjeukemeer in, relation to its water management between 1970 and 1986. Freshwat. Biol., 20: 1–10.
DE HAAN, H., H. L. HOOGVELD, T. DE BOER, J. VOERMAN, J. R. MOED, H. A. KRAMER and J. SCHROTENBOER, 1988. Manipulation of chemistry and phytoplankton by hydrological intervention: a whole lake experiment in the northern Netherlands. Freshwat. Biol., 20: 395–406.
DE HAAN, H., J. VOERMAN, T. DE BOER, J. R. MOED, J. SCHROTENBOER, and H. L. HOOGVELD, 1990. Trace metal chemistry of a Dutch reservoir, the Tjeukemeer. Freshwat. Biol., 24: 391–400.
DRISCOLL, C. T., 1984. A procedure for the fractionation of aqueous aluminium in dilute acidic waters. Int. J. envir. analyt. Chem., 16: 267–283.
HODGES, S. C., 1987. Aluminium speciation: A comparison of five methods. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J., 51: 57–64.
KAL, B. F. M., G. B. ENGELEN and Th. E. CAPPENBERG, 1984. Loosdrecht lakes restoration project: Hydrology and physico-chemical characteristics of the lakes. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol., 22: 835–841.
LEWIS, T. E., D. E. DOBB, J. M. HENSHAW and S. J. SIMON, 1988. Apparent monomeric aluminium concentrations in the presence of humic and fulvic acid and other ligands: An intermethod comparison study. Int. J. envir. anal. Chem., 34: 69–87.
NORDSTROM, D. K. and J. W. BALL, 1986. The geochemical behavior of aluminium in acidified surface waters. Science 232: 54–56.
SCHNITZER, M., and S. K. KHAN, 1972. Humic substances in the environment. Dekker, Inc, New York, 327 p.
STUMM, W., and J. J. MORGAN, 1981. Aquatic chemistry. An introduction emphasizing chemical equilibria natural waters. 2nd Edition. Wiley & Son, New York, 780 p.
TIPPING, E. and C. A. BACKES, 1988. Organic complexation of Al in acid waters: Model-testing by titration of a streamwater sample. Wat. Res., 22: 593–595.
TIPPING, E., C. WOOF, C. A. BACKES and M. OHNSTAD, 1988. Aluminium speciation in acidic natural waters: Testing of a model for Al-humic complexation. Wat. Res., 22: 321–326.
TIPPING, E., C. A. BACKES and M. A. HURLEY, 1988a. The complexation of protons, aluminium and calcium by aquatic humic substances; A model incorporating binding-site heterogeneity and macroionic effects. Wat. Res., 22: 597–611.
VERWEIJ, W., 1990. Manual for the GEoCHemical EQuilibrium model GECHEQ. Limnological Institute. Internal Report 1990-9.
VERWEIJ, W., H. DE HAAN, T. DE BOER and J. VOERMAN, 1989. Copper complexation in eutrophic and humic Lake Tjeukemeer, The Netherlands. Freshwat. Biol., 21: 427–436.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
De Haan, H., De Boer, T. & Voerman, J. Size distribution of dissolved (<200 nm) organic carbon and aluminium in alkaline and humic lakes. Hydrobiological Bulletin 24, 145–151 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02260432
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02260432