Dissolved Organic Matter Characteristics and Composition of Saline Lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert, China

Salinization significantly alters dissolved organic matter (DOM) characteristics and composition in saline lakes of the Badain Jaran Desert, China. Research reveals that while dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increases with salinity, DOM aromaticity, fluorescent components, and lignin-like compounds decrease, whereas lipid-like components rise. Additionally, brine lakes exhibit higher chlorination than bromination of DOM, indicating preferential chlorination over bromination. The study, employing spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and 14C analysis across 10 lakes, underscores the critical role of saline lakes as persistent carbon pools in arid environments.

Zhang, Q., Wang, Y., Zhang, X., Mo, X., Zhang, P., Li, H., Jiao, J. J., He, C., Shi, Q., Fu, Q., Chen, B., & Wang, J. (2023). Dissolved Organic Matter Characteristics and Composition of Saline Lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert, China. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 7(11), 2239–2251. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.3c00179