PY-GC-MS analysis of organic matter in suspended material and deposits of the submarine delta of the rhone river (France)

In the Rhône delta the nature of suspended material depends on depth and river regime. Off the river mouth, an increase in nitrogenous compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons is observed in the pyrograms of suspended material and deposits. The decrease of phenolics can be related to diminishing terrestrial run-off. Fulvic acids are enriched in nitrogenous compounds and carbohydrates. Humic acids concentrate phenolics and aromatic hydrocarbons. On the Catalonian coast the higher rate of nitrogenous substances in offshore sediments is explained by outer sampling location. Aromatic hydrocarbons are less abundant indicating fresher organic matter than the more evolved material of the Rhône river.