Detection of Optical Brighteners in the Morte Femme Peatland

Visser, Gina Maria

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Detection of Optical Brighteners in the Morte Femme Peatland Public

This report studied the detection of optical brighteners in the Morte Femme peatland located in the Vosges mountains of France. Synchronous fluorescence scans of optical brightener solutions were used to generate fluorescent spectra before and after irradiation with UV light. Tests for pH, conductivity, DOC, ICP, ion chromatography, UV spectroscopy, and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy were performed on field samples collected at various locations along the Morte Femme and its tributaries. Field samples were also irradiated with UV light, and the effects on their fluorescent intensity observed. A decrease in fluorescence intensity was observed at some sampling locations, and depending on the location this could be due to the presence of dissolved organic matter or optical brighteners.

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