Natural organic matter has been shown to be the dominant factor in determining equilibrium and kinetic processes during sorption and desorption phenomena in sediment and soil experiments. While several models have been suggested for predicting these processes, few offer mechanistic interpretations since the spatial location of organic matter on sediment particles is unknown. This investigation examined sediments from multiple locations using SEM-EDX to determine specific particles, and subsequently analyze those particles for their elemental composition, specifically the location of carbon. By creating a carbon map of the sediment, this investigation has determined that organic matter tends to gather in clumps on the aggregates and occasionally on rough edges, and is not spread evenly across the sediment matrix.

Spatial determination of organic matter on sediment particles by scanning electron microscope analysis

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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