Influence of river floods on the humification process in the bottom sediments from the Goczałkowice reservoir

Abstract

Abstract:The paper presents the results of studies on the infl uence of the 2010 Vistula fl ood on the humifi cation process in the bottom sediments of the Goczałkowice Reservoir in southern Poland. Due to its location in the vicinity of farmlands, forests and urbanized areas, the Goczałkowice Reservoir is characterized by amplifi ed and intense humifi cation processes within its sediments. The studies were focused on the determining the infl uence of the fl ood wave containing organic and inorganic suspensions on these processes. Humic acids were analyzed using two spectroscopic methods: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Application of these methods allowed to determine the values of free radicals and of the g-factor, which are indicators of oxidation, aromatization and maturation of humic acids during the humifi cation process, as well as the value of the 1650/1720 ratio, refl ecting the dissociation of the COOH group to COO -and the formation of complexes of transitional metals with humic acids during the humifi cation process.