Advances in the Physicochemical Characterization of Dissolved Organic Matter: Impact on Natural and Engineered Systems

The study of dissolved organic matter (DOM) has fascinated scientists and engineers for at least 60 years - from the initial efforts focused on measuring the concentrations of carbon in marine and aquatic systems, to the discovery of the role of DOM in the formation of disinfection byproducts, all the way to the new emphasis on the detailed understanding of the different functional groups and basic structural features which are the basis for the physicochemical properties of the material. After 50 years of work in the area, there are still many questions regarding DOM.The study of dissolved organic matter (DOM) has fascinated researchers in different fields of science and engineering for many decades. The impact that DOM has on a wide array of environmental processes has resulted in the development of a multidisciplinary community of researchers all focusing on using different analytical techniques and experimental design to better understand DOM. This book offers select case studies focusing on the advanced characterization of DOM in different environments and with respect to different processes. It results from the conclusion of a symposium that E. M. Thurman and I had organized for the 245th meeting of the American Chemical Society, which was held on April 7-11, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.