Singlet
oxygen (1O2) generation quantum yields
from chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) have been reported
for many samples over the past 4 decades. Yet even for standardized
isolates such as those from the International Humic Substance Society
(IHSS), wide-ranging values exist in the literature. In this manuscript,
time-resolved 1O2 phosphorescence was used to
determine the 1O2 quantum yields (ΦΔ) of a variety of dissolved organic matter (DOM) isolates
and natural waters. In general, the 1O2 quantum
yield values in this study are in the middle, although below the median
of the range of past reported values (e.g., for Suwannee River Natural
Organic Matter IHSS isolate: 1.8% vs 0.23–2.89%). Notably,
hydrophobic neutral fractions of DOM isolates were found to possess
the highest 1O2 quantum yields, an interesting
result given that these fractions are not retained in typical humic
and fulvic acid isolation procedures that use XAD resins. The excitation
wavelength dependence of 1O2 generation from
CDOM was also examined, and an approximate linear decrease with longer
excitation wavelength was observed. This work advances the understanding
of CDOM photoprocesses, especially in relation to wavelength-dependent 1O2 production, which is valuable for assessing
real-world environmental behavior.