Correcting a major error in assessing organic carbon pollution in natural waters

• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc7318
• Publication Date: 2021-04-14T21:26:07Z
• Authors: Nianzhi Jiao; Jihua Liu; Bethanie Edwards; Zongqing Lv; Ruanhong Cai; Yongqin Liu; Xilin Xiao; Jianning Wang; Fanglue Jiao; Rui Wang; Xingyu Huang; Bixi Guo; Jia Sun; Rui Zhang; Yao Zhang; Kai Tang; Qiang Zheng; Farooq Azam; John Batt; Wei-Jun Cai; Chen He; Gerhard J. Herndl; Paul Hill; David Hutchins; Julie LaRoche; Marlon Lewis; Hugh MacIntyre; Luca Polimene; Carol Robinson; Quan Shi; Curtis A. Suttle; Helmuth Thomas; Douglas Wallace; Louis Legendre
• Keywords: Biochemical oxygen demand

Microbial degradation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in aquatic environments can cause oxygen depletion, water acidification, and CO2 emissions. These problems are caused by labile DOC (LDOC) not refractory (RDOC) that resists is thus a sink. For nearly century, chemical demand (COD) has been widely used for assessment pollution systems. Here, we show through multicountry survey experimental studies COD an appropriate proxy microbial degradability matter because it oxidizes both LDOC RDOC, the latter contributes up to 90% high-latitude forested areas. Hence, measurements do provide scientific information on natural waters mislead environmental policies. We propose replacement method with optode-based biological accurately efficiently assess environments.