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Abstract
Urban watersheds experience anthropogenic impacts that degrade water quality. This study used fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Portland, Oregon streams, tracing wastewater signatures from treatment plants. Samples from multiple sites and effluent sources were analyzed using end-member mixing, principal component analysis, and multivariate regression. A predictive model based on three fluorescence peaks estimated wastewater contributions with 80% confidence. Findings support fluorescence-based monitoring as a tool for identifying wastewater influence, informing water quality assessments, and guiding development of in-situ instrumentation and indicators for urban aquatic ecosystems.