Optical Properties and Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation of Dissolved Organic Matter from the Arcachon Bay (French Atlantic Coast)

Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy was used to investigate spatial and temporal variability in the optical properties of dissolved organic matter in the Arcachon Bay and its main tributaries. Seasonal effects and different trends in composition as well as in size of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were observed for samples collected from the Arcachon lagoon. We do not observe such a variability for the samples collected from the nine main tributaries of the Arcachon Bay. DOM quality was however specific for each tributary site.