Dissolved　organic　matter　(DOM)　is　important　for　determining　the　speciation,　environmental　behavior,　and　effects　of　metal　pollutants　in　aquatic　environments.　However,　little　is　known　about　the　difference　between　DOM　from　natural　and　anthropogenic　sources　for　binding　Pb(II).　This　study　examined　the　Pb(II)　binding　with　DOM　from　four　typical　sources　including　river,　leaf　litter　leachate,　and　the　influent　and　effluent　of　a　wastewater　treatment　plant,　using　fluorescence　quenching　titration　and　excitation-emission　matrices-parallel　factor　analysis　(EEMs-PARAFAC).　Four　humic-like　and　one　protein-like　fluorescent　components　were　identified,　with　much　higher　protein-like　fraction　and　lower　humification　degree　for　the　influent　than　for　other　sources.　In　the　river　water　and　leaf　litter　leachate,　the　abundant　humic-like　components　were　quenched　by　6–17%　while　the　protein-like　component　kept　stable　(2–4%)　by　the　addition　of　Pb(II).　In　contrast,　the　influent　DOM　showed　stronger　fluorescence　quenching　of　the　protein-like　component　(46%)　with　higher　conditional　stability　constant　and　binding　fraction　of　fluorophore　than　the　humic-like　components　(15–21%).　The　effluent　DOM　displayed　weak　quenching　for　all　fluorescent　components　(4–6%)　and　thus　weak　complexation　with　Pb(II),　indicating　notable　changes　in　the　chemical　composition　and　metal-binding　affinity　of　DOM　by　wastewater　treatments.　These　results　demonstrated　significant　impacts　of　DOM　source　and　chemical　composition　on　its　Pb(II)　complexation　properties,　which　have　implications　for　understanding　the　interactions　between　DOM　and　heavy　metals.　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.