Iron as a source of color in river waters.

Organic chromophores of total organic carbon (TOC) and those of iron (Fe) contribute to the color of water, but the relative contributions of colored organic carbon (COC%) and Fe (Fe%) are poorly known. In this study, we unraveled Fe% and COC% in 6128 unfiltered water samples collected from 94 Finnish river sites of contrasting catchment properties. According to regression analysis focusing on TOC alone, on average 84% of the mean TOC consisted of COC, while 16% was non-colored or below the color-detection limit. COC and Fe were much more important sources of color than phytoplankton (chlorophyll a as a proxy) or non-algal particles (suspended solids as a proxy). When COC and Fe were consid…