Dissolved organic carbon

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is like a bunch of tiny pieces of food floating around in the water. These tiny pieces are so small that you can't see them with your eyes, but they are still there. Just like when you take a sip of water or a gulp of milk and sometimes it tastes different, like it has a sort of "flavor." That flavor comes from the dissolved organic carbon in the water.

DOC is made up of things that were once alive, like plants and animals. When these things die or go through a process called decay, they release their parts into the water which can then become dissolved organic carbon. So it's like a bunch of tiny pieces of plants and animals that are in the water making it taste a little bit different.

Scientists study dissolved organic carbon because it helps us understand how healthy a body of water is. It can affect animals in the water, like fish and other creatures, because it changes the quality of the water they live in. It also affects the color of water, making it look brown, yellow, or even almost black in some places. So next time you take a sip of water and it tastes a little different, remember that it could be because of the dissolved organic carbon in it.