Organic carbon causes interference with nitrate and nitrite measurements by UV/Vis spectrometers: the importance of local calibration

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment Vol. 189; no. 7; p. 357
• Main Authors: Uusheimo, Sari, Tulonen, Tiina, Arvola, Lauri, Arola, Hanna, Linjama, Jarmo, Huttula, Timo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.07.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic plants; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Calibration; Carbon; Carbon - analysis; Dissolved organic carbon; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental science; Error correction; Error detection; Fresh water; Fresh Water - analysis; freshwater; Incident light; Interference; lakes; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Nitrates; Nitrates - analysis; Nitrites; Nitrites - analysis; Nitrogen Oxides - analysis; Optical measuring instruments; Organic carbon; Photometry; Regression analysis; Rivers; Sensors; Spectrometers; streams; surface water; Transmittance; Water - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water quality; Water quality monitoring; Water sampling; wavelengths; Optical measurement; Organic carbon; High-frequency sensor; Nitrate; Calibration; Boreal water monitoring
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-017-6056-6
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959

Compared with sporadic conventional water sampling, continuous water-quality monitoring with optical sensors has improved our understanding of freshwater dynamics. The basic principle in photometric measurements is the incident light at a given wavelength that is either reflected, scattered, or transmitted in the body of water. Here, we discuss the transmittance measurements. The amount of transmittance is inversely proportional to the concentration of the substance measured. However, the transmittance is subject to interference, because it can be affected by factors other than the substance targeted in the water. In this study, interference with the UV/Vis sensor nitrate plus nitrite measurements caused by organic carbon was evaluated. Total or dissolved organic carbon as well as nitrate plus nitrite concentrations were measured in various boreal waters with two UV/Vis sensors (5-mm and 35-mm pathlengths), using conventional laboratory analysis results as references. Organic carbon increased the sensor nitrate plus nitrite results, not only in waters with high organic carbon concentrations, but also at the lower concentrations (< 10 mg C L −1 ) typical of boreal stream, river, and lake waters. Our results demonstrated that local calibration with multiple linear regression, including both nitrate plus nitrite and dissolved organic carbon, can correct the error caused by organic carbon. However, high-frequency optical sensors continue to be excellent tools for environmental monitoring when they are properly calibrated for the local water matrix.