Abstract
Fluorescence spectroscopy and parallel factor (PARAFAC) form a powerful tool in separating different fluorophores and may
be useful in detecting the fluorescent signature of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Despite the large number of studies on
fluorescence and PARAFAC it is still uncertain if this combination is capable to separate DOM from different water types by
analyzing the presence of specific components and their spectral shape. This paper presents a preliminary study on the
fluorescence and PARAFAC potential to identify the fluorescence fingerprint of DOM components from spectra of samples
collected from rural and urban lakes and rivers. PARAFAC analysis revealed three main components, one component being
associated principally with microbial matter and two components with terrestrial organic matter. Specifically, PARAFAC
effectively distinguished the fluorescence features of the urban lake, which was characterized by a high bacterial load.