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There is a need for a rapid and robust method of organic matter (OM) monitoring during drinking water treatment. Although it has been shown that fluorescence spectroscopy has the potential for on-line application in drinking water treatment plants, there has been no in situ OM fluorescence monitoring study conducted during drinking water treatment. Three currently available fluorescence probes were chosen for the on-line study of terrestrially-delivered unprocessed (Peak C) and microbially-delivered (Peak T) OM.Probes were installed at two drinking water treatment plants (WTPs) measuring raw water and treated water fluorescence over one month. Probe and sampling point specific temperature correction and inner filter effect correction factors were applied to all fluorescence data. The Peak C fluorescence intensity had a significant correlation with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration (R s = 0.85-0.93) and it was therefore concluded that it could be used to monitor DOC concentrations in raw and treated water. Peak C and Peak T fluorescence signal changes corresponded to water quality fluctuations and operational conditions enabling OM to be characterised. It was demonstrated that fluorescence probes can be used for monitoring OM concentrations and character in situ and in real-time.Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol. This journal is This paper presents the first in situ organic matter fluorescence monitoring study conducted in a drinking water treatment context. It was determined that fluorescence probes could be used to estimate organic matter concentration, removal efficiency and treatability across unit operations. The probes were sufficiently sensitive to identify small changes in operating conditions, providing early warning to operators.

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Removal of dissolved organic matter fractions via three different treatment processes.

The determination of δ 13 C values in speleothems is of considerable importance in palaeoenvironmental research, but to date has focussed solely on analysis of the carbonate. Here we demonstrate a new method for analysing the δ 13 C values of organic matter (OM) trapped in speleothems, utilising flow injection liquid chromatographyisotope ratio mass spectrometry (LC-IRMS). Developmental analysis using a homogenised speleothem powder shows that the method is robust with repeated digests and analyses having an average standard deviation of 0.1‰. Dilution tests with samples of 4-23 µg total organic carbon (TOC) show relatively small linearity effects, with the overall standard deviation across a peak response range of 1700-9000 mV being 0.2‰.