Abstract
The effect of the dissolved “yellow substance” on the quantitative retrieval of chlorophyll and suspended sediment concentrations from remote measurements of water colour, has been investigated through a sensitivity analysis applied to theoretical simulations. Two different models for yellow substance absorption, derived from experimental observations, have been used in the computation. The results obtained showed important effects, leading to the conclusion that the presence of yellow substance must be taken into careful account in the process of inferring water composition from its colour signature.