xiii
this volume is a response to the explosion of interest in the use of fluorescence spectroscopy
to analyze organic matter in the aquatic environment and the realization that a book was
needed that combined relevant information on fluorescence principles, laboratory and field
methodologies, and data handling and interpretation. the editorial and author teams are
drawn from a wide range of disciplines, which reflects the multidisciplinary interest in
aquatic organic matter fluorescence. Despite more than thirty years of interest in the topics, until recently, research was undertaken primarily within disciplines, without the benefits of a genuine interdisciplinary approach. We hope that this volume goes some way
to address this. it is intended as a core text for anyone starting to undertake research into
aquatic organic matter fluorescence, with a potential readership in the fields of environmental chemistry, marine science, environmental geosciences, environmental engineering,
soil science, and physical geography. the first three chapters provide an overview to the
field of aquatic organic matter fluorescence: chapter 1 outlines the principles of fluorescence, chapter 2 synthesizes the relationship between fluorescence and dissolved organic
matter chemistry, and chapter 3 provides a multidisciplinary overview of the history and
current understanding of aquatic organic matter fluorescence. As such, we anticipate that
these chapters will be of broad interest to students and researchers interested in optical
methods in environmental science and the environmental chemistry of organic matter. the
next three chapters focus on instrumentation and sampling: chapter 4 details sampling protocols essential for successful fluorescence analyses, and chapters 5 and 6 provide insights
into laboratory (bench) and field (in situ) methodologies. these chapters will be of particular interest to anyone intending to establish field, laboratory, or industrial applications of
fluorescence, including undergraduate project students, PhD and postdoctoral researchers,
and research and development officers. chapters 7 and 8 investigate environmental effects
on aquatic organic matter fluorescence, detailing the chemical and biological reprocessing
of organic matter in natural and engineered systems. these chapters are relevant to anyone
interested in the nature of organic matter transformations in the natural and engineered
environments, from transformations within river systems through to chemical properties
relevant to water treatment processes. Finally, chapters 9 and 10 summarize methods used
in the analysis and interpretation of fluorescence data, focusing on the use of indices and
multivariate statistical and modeling approaches.
Preface
this volume is a response to the explosion of interest in the use of fluorescence spectroscopy
to analyze organic matter in the aquatic environment and the realization that a book was
needed that combined relevant information on fluorescence principles, laboratory and field
methodologies, and data handling and interpretation. the editorial and author teams are
drawn from a wide range of disciplines, which reflects the multidisciplinary interest in
aquatic organic matter fluorescence. Despite more than thirty years of interest in the topics, until recently, research was undertaken primarily within disciplines, without the benefits of a genuine interdisciplinary approach. We hope that this volume goes some way
to address this. it is intended as a core text for anyone starting to undertake research into
aquatic organic matter fluorescence, with a potential readership in the fields of environmental chemistry, marine science, environmental geosciences, environmental engineering,
soil science, and physical geography. the first three chapters provide an overview to the
field of aquatic organic matter fluorescence: chapter 1 outlines the principles of fluorescence, chapter 2 synthesizes the relationship between fluorescence and dissolved organic
matter chemistry, and chapter 3 provides a multidisciplinary overview of the history and
current understanding of aquatic organic matter fluorescence. As such, we anticipate that
these chapters will be of broad interest to students and researchers interested in optical
methods in environmental science and the environmental chemistry of organic matter. the
next three chapters focus on instrumentation and sampling: chapter 4 details sampling protocols essential for successful fluorescence analyses, and chapters 5 and 6 provide insights
into laboratory (bench) and field (in situ) methodologies. these chapters will be of particular interest to anyone intending to establish field, laboratory, or industrial applications of
fluorescence, including undergraduate project students, PhD and postdoctoral researchers,
and research and development officers. chapters 7 and 8 investigate environmental effects
on aquatic organic matter fluorescence, detailing the chemical and biological reprocessing
of organic matter in natural and engineered systems. these chapters are relevant to anyone
interested in the nature of organic matter transformations in the natural and engineered
environments, from transformations within river systems through to chemical properties
relevant to water treatment processes. Finally, chapters 9 and 10 summarize methods used
in the analysis and interpretation of fluorescence data, focusing on the use of indices and
multivariate statistical and modeling approaches.
Preface