Exploring Correlations: Natural Organic Matter (NOM) & Geophysical Signals, A case study at Lake Bolmen, Sweden
(2024) In ISRN VTGM01 20241Engineering Geology
Civil Engineering (M.Sc.Eng.)
- Abstract
- Water, an essential element of life, is recently impacted by several issues, including climate change, affecting its quality. One of the changes in water quality is brownification, which results in water with a browner color. This yellow-brown color of water in a lake or any water surface can disrupt the treatment process and the aesthetics of the water body, thus increasing costs in the long run. In recent years, research on the brownification of water in lakes has come into focus, enhancing the opportunity to reduce vulnerability due to the presence of organic matter content in surface water. However, the correlation between Natural Organic Matter (NOM) in sediment and geophysical properties/signals has not yet been investigated. This... (More)
- Water, an essential element of life, is recently impacted by several issues, including climate change, affecting its quality. One of the changes in water quality is brownification, which results in water with a browner color. This yellow-brown color of water in a lake or any water surface can disrupt the treatment process and the aesthetics of the water body, thus increasing costs in the long run. In recent years, research on the brownification of water in lakes has come into focus, enhancing the opportunity to reduce vulnerability due to the presence of organic matter content in surface water. However, the correlation between Natural Organic Matter (NOM) in sediment and geophysical properties/signals has not yet been investigated. This thesis examines the correlations between geophysical signals derived from Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) measurements and the concentrations of iron (Fe) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Sediment and water have been sampled from various locations in Lake Bolmen, situated in southern Sweden, primarily from ditches along its smaller tributaries. These samples have been subjected to analysis for multiple parameters, including TOC, Fe, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, color, and pH. Subsequently, the data were analyzed to investigate potential correlations. The results of this thesis suggest that there is no direct correlation between NOM in sediment and SIP signals. Although some weak correlations between certain SIP-measured data and NOM can be observed, they are not significant given the limitations of the analysis. However, assessing these relationships requires further investigation and long-term observation. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Vatten, en väsentlig beståndsdel av livet, riskerar i allt högre grad att förändras negativt av olika problem, inklusive klimatförändringar, vilket påverkar dess kvalitet. En av förändringarna i vattenkvaliteten är brunifiering, vilket innebär vatten med en brunare färg. En gulbrun färg på vatten i en sjö eller på en vattenyta kan störa behandlingsprocessen i vattenverk och minska vattnets estetiska värde, vilket ökar kostnaderna för dricksvattenförsörjning på lång sikt. På senare år har forskning om brunifiering av vatten i sjöar kommit i fokus och förbättrat möjligheten att minska sårbarheten på grund av närvaron av organiskt material i ytvatten. Emellertid har korrelationen mellan Naturligt Organiskt Material (NOM) i sediment och... (More)
- Vatten, en väsentlig beståndsdel av livet, riskerar i allt högre grad att förändras negativt av olika problem, inklusive klimatförändringar, vilket påverkar dess kvalitet. En av förändringarna i vattenkvaliteten är brunifiering, vilket innebär vatten med en brunare färg. En gulbrun färg på vatten i en sjö eller på en vattenyta kan störa behandlingsprocessen i vattenverk och minska vattnets estetiska värde, vilket ökar kostnaderna för dricksvattenförsörjning på lång sikt. På senare år har forskning om brunifiering av vatten i sjöar kommit i fokus och förbättrat möjligheten att minska sårbarheten på grund av närvaron av organiskt material i ytvatten. Emellertid har korrelationen mellan Naturligt Organiskt Material (NOM) i sediment och geofysiska egenskaper/signaler ännu inte undersökts. Detta examensarbete undersöker sambanden mellan geofysiska signaler härledda från mätningar av spektral inducerad polarisation (SIP) och koncentrationerna av järn (Fe) och Totalt Organiskt Kol (TOC). Sediment och vatten har provtagits från olika platser vid sjön Bolmen, belägen i södra Sverige, främst från diken längs dess mindre bifloder. Dessa prover har analyserats med avseende på flera olika parametrar, inklusive TOC, Fe, löst syre, turbiditet, färg och pH. Därefter analyserades data för att undersöka potentiella samband. Resultaten av denna undersökning antyder att det inte finns någon direkt korrelation mellan NOM i sediment och SIP-signaler. Även om vissa svaga samband mellan vissa SIP-mätdata och NOM kan observeras är de inte signifikanta med tanke på analysens begränsningar. Att slutligt bedöma dessa samband kräver dock ytterligare undersökningar och långvariga observationer. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Water, the elixir of life, is facing increasing challenges due to the impacts of climate change, which are causing significant changes to its overall quality. Of all the water on Earth, only a small percentage—about 0.3%—is fresh water accessible to humans, making it crucial to take good care of this amount for a sustainable future.
One significant impact is the phenomenon of brownification, where clear lakes turn brown. This change not only complicates water treatment processes but also diminishes the aesthetic appeal of these water bodies. This brown color arises from a complex mixture of organic substances, also known as Natural Organic Matter (NOM), generated by the decomposition of trees, peat, and organic material, along with iron... (More) - Water, the elixir of life, is facing increasing challenges due to the impacts of climate change, which are causing significant changes to its overall quality. Of all the water on Earth, only a small percentage—about 0.3%—is fresh water accessible to humans, making it crucial to take good care of this amount for a sustainable future.
One significant impact is the phenomenon of brownification, where clear lakes turn brown. This change not only complicates water treatment processes but also diminishes the aesthetic appeal of these water bodies. This brown color arises from a complex mixture of organic substances, also known as Natural Organic Matter (NOM), generated by the decomposition of trees, peat, and organic material, along with iron content.
Recent studies have illuminated the role of organic matter in causing brownification in lakes. However, much remains unknown about the deeper processes that contribute to this phenomenon, presenting a riddle that scientists are eager to solve. This is where Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) comes into play. SIP is a technique that can "see" through the underground by investigating different signals produced by the SIP instrument. Therefore, it is a much-needed study to find any dependency between these two subsequent topics: NOM and SIP.
This thesis aims to understand how the SIP signal will behave when there is the presence of NOM in lake sediment. For this experiment, sediment samples and water samples from Lake Bolmen have been collected, and several measurements have been done to compare them with the amount of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and iron (Fe) present in the lake sediment. TOC and Fe have been taken as measurement units because they closely represent a section of NOM and the color of the water.
The findings of this thesis were intriguing yet inconclusive. While there were some weak correlations between SIP data and organic matter, the links were not robust enough to draw a definitive relationship. This indicates that the relationship between SIP and the underlying organic matter is more complex than previously thought, and further study is needed to conclude it. We must keep in mind that the duration of the study and data sample were not sufficient enough to draw any decisive conclusions.
However, the encouraging aspect of this research is that it opens the door for further investigation. With more advanced analytical methods and long-term studies, future research may eventually reveal any significant relationship between SIP and NOM and uncover the secrets behind brownification more precisely, preserving the health and beauty of all precious lakes for future generations. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9158397
- author
- Sabbir, Ahmed LU
- supervisor
-
- Gerhard Barmen LU
- Tina Martin LU
- Clemens Klante LU
- organization
- alternative title
- En undersökning av samband: Naturligt organiskt material och geofysiska signaler, En fallstudie vid sjön Bolmen, Sverige
- course
- VTGM01 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- NOM, SIP, TOC, Fe, Correlation
- publication/series
- ISRN
- report number
- ISRN LUTVDG/(TVTG-5183)/1-49/(2024)
- language
- English
- additional info
- Examiner: Jan-Erik Rosberg
- id
- 9158397
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-10 11:38:19
- date last changed
- 2024-06-10 11:38:19
@misc{9158397,
abstract = {{Water, an essential element of life, is recently impacted by several issues, including climate change, affecting its quality. One of the changes in water quality is brownification, which results in water with a browner color. This yellow-brown color of water in a lake or any water surface can disrupt the treatment process and the aesthetics of the water body, thus increasing costs in the long run. In recent years, research on the brownification of water in lakes has come into focus, enhancing the opportunity to reduce vulnerability due to the presence of organic matter content in surface water. However, the correlation between Natural Organic Matter (NOM) in sediment and geophysical properties/signals has not yet been investigated. This thesis examines the correlations between geophysical signals derived from Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) measurements and the concentrations of iron (Fe) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Sediment and water have been sampled from various locations in Lake Bolmen, situated in southern Sweden, primarily from ditches along its smaller tributaries. These samples have been subjected to analysis for multiple parameters, including TOC, Fe, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, color, and pH. Subsequently, the data were analyzed to investigate potential correlations. The results of this thesis suggest that there is no direct correlation between NOM in sediment and SIP signals. Although some weak correlations between certain SIP-measured data and NOM can be observed, they are not significant given the limitations of the analysis. However, assessing these relationships requires further investigation and long-term observation.}},
author = {{Sabbir, Ahmed}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{ISRN}},
title = {{Exploring Correlations: Natural Organic Matter (NOM) & Geophysical Signals, A case study at Lake Bolmen, Sweden}},
year = {{2024}},
}