Combination of biodegradable organic matter quantification and XAD-fractionation as effective working parameter for the study of biodegradability in environmental and anthropic samples

The present work proposes to couple quantification of biodegradable organic matter (BOM) with XAD-fractionation. Biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) and assimilable organic carbon (AOC) analysis were applied to fractions extracted by XAD resin. An examination of mechanisms during consumption of BOM has been carried out, using comparison of biodegradability between the bulk BOM of samples (landfill leachate and surface water) and the sum of BOM contents obtained for the extracted fractions. Results point out that a cometabolism mechanism seems to be involved during the degradation of the surface water fractions. On the other hand, fractions extracted from the leachate seem to be degraded as primary substratum. The more reactive fractions of the leachate (HPO ∗) and the water (HPI) have been identified as well the less reactive (HPI ∗ and HPO, respectively). The BDOC contents determined for the bulk leachate and surface water are 10 ± 2% and 28 ± 2%, respectively. The values of AOC are 107 ± 18 μg C acetate L −1 and 163 ± 21 μg C acetate L −1, respectively.