Award Abstract # 1634463
Automated Instrumentation for Chemical Oceanography Based on Sequential Injection Lab-On-valve Technology

NSF Org: OCE
Division Of Ocean Sciences
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
Initial Amendment Date: July 19, 2016
Latest Amendment Date: July 19, 2016
Award Number: 1634463
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Simone Metz
OCE
 Division Of Ocean Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: August 1, 2016
End Date: December 31, 2019 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $534,389.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $534,389.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2016 = $534,389.00
History of Investigator:
  • Christopher Measures (Principal Investigator)
    chrism@soest.hawaii.edu
  • Jaromir Ruzicka (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Mariko Hatta (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Hawaii
2425 CAMPUS RD SINCLAIR RM 1
HONOLULU
HI  US  96822-2247
(808)956-7800
Sponsor Congressional District: 01
Primary Place of Performance: University of Hawaii
1000 Pope Road, MSB
Honolulu
HI  US  96822-2336
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): NSCKLFSSABF2
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Chemical Oceanography
Primary Program Source: 01001617DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 9150
Program Element Code(s): 167000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

The ability of oceanographers to investigate and understand chemical processes in the ocean is only as good as the accuracy and precision of the techniques available for making chemical measurements. This project seeks to upgrade an existing analytical method (the micro-Sequential Injection Lab on Valve; uSI-LOV methodology) for measurement of dissolved aluminum (Al) and phosphate (P) in seawater. Aluminum is an abundant element used for tracking dust input to the ocean from the atmosphere and the movement of water masses. Phosphate is an essential nutrient for biological growth in the ocean, showing spatial and temporal variability that affects the growth of phytoplankton. The novel uSI-LOV methods would allow unattended and accurate measurement of Al and P together, with direct benefit for oceanographic research on biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem dynamics. Additionally, the uSI-LOV methodology includes an ingenious "single standard" technique that greatly simplifies calibration of the system, can be developed for analysis of many other elements beyond Al and P, and would provide a procedure for improved inter-comparison between different studies. The refined, modular uSI-LOV system produced by this proposal will be widely applicable for use by the oceanographic community. The project will also fund an excellent interdisciplinary PhD student thesis opportunity that incorporates aspects of engineering, analytical chemistry, and oceanography.

The PIs on this project intend to adapt the micro-Sequential Injection Lab on Valve (uSI-LOV) system to the measurement of seawater Al and P using fluorescent and spectrophotometric detection with flow injection analysis. They will develop and evaluate a novel "single standard" calibration process that uses the precisely reproduced timing of the rising and falling edge of a single standard injection peak as a pseudo-standard addition curve, potentially providing better calibration of other seawater analytical systems designed for trace element and nutrient concentrations in the ocean. The improved uSI-LOV methodology has advantages of physical robustness, as well as lowered power, sample, and reagent requirements. The project will field test the uSI-LOV system during an at-sea intercalibration against established shipboard analytical methods for P and Al, and deploy a small battery operated version in shallow water to test autonomous operation. The work is directed at eventual use of the uSI-LOV technology on existing and future remote platforms and autonomous vehicles. Successful adaptation, integration into the chemical oceanography community, and future deployments would provide greatly improved chemical data sets that would inform biogeochemical models and promote significant advancements in our understanding of marine biogeochemical cycles.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Hatta, Mariko and Measures, Christopher I. and Ruzicka, Jaromir (Jarda) "Determination of traces of phosphate in sea water automated by programmable flow injection: Surfactant enhancement of the phosphomolybdenum blue response" Talanta , v.191 , 2019 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.08.045 Citation Details
Hatta, Mariko and Measures, Christopher I. and Ruzicka, Jaromir (Jarda) "Programmable Flow Injection. Principle, methodology and application for trace analysis of iron in a sea water matrix" Talanta , v.178 , 2018 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.10.007 Citation Details
Ruzicka, Jaromir (Jarda) "Redesigning flow injection after 40 years of development: Flow programming" Talanta , v.176 , 2018 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.08.061 Citation Details
Ruzicka, Jaromir (Jarda) and Marshall, Graham D. and Measures, Christopher I. and Hatta, Mariko "Flow injection programmed to function in batch mode is used to determine molar absorptivity and to investigate the phosphomolybdenum blue method" Talanta , v.201 , 2019 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.04.015 Citation Details

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

The availability of certain nutrients and trace elements (particularly dissolved iron) is known to control the growth of oceanic plants in surface waters. However, our understanding of the detailed biogeochemical processes in the ocean is limited in part by our ability to obtain sufficient data over temporal time scales.

This project developed a rapid, small volume analytical technique for the determination of dissolved phosphorus at sea.  An additional advantage of the small volume nature of this method is that it not only reduces the volume of the sample needed but it reduces the amount of reagent chemicals needed for the determination helping us to move towards a more "Green Chemistry" for use in future monitoring operations.  We have also designed and constructed a field deployable version of this system.

During the early stages of the analytical development we participated in an international collaborative oceanographic research cruise aimed at ascertaining the accuracy of current methodology, our new analytical technique showed that it was capable of achieving similar values to those of the traditional analytical methods in real time at sea. A field deployable version of this method, using battery power was successfully developed using commercially available components including a Raspberry Pi 3 control system in a weather-resistant housing and was briefly deployed in the ocean. 

Intellectual Merit: The first shipboard deployment of our one pump analyzer confirmed that the technique can produce phosphate data with an accuracy comparable to that of traditional continuous flow methods but with sample and reagent volumes that are 10-20 fold smaller than current methods, the new technique also uses instrumentation that is more compact and lower maintenance than traditional instrumentation. A more recently developed two pump system further confirms the advantages of flow programming and eliminates the drawback of incomplete mixing that occurs with the one pump system.

Broader Impacts: The researchers have benefited from participation in an international research project that brings technologies and scientists from different institutions together creating a collaborative cohort that will outlast the specific project.  A graduate student (N. Harmon) is currently completing a MS thesis describing the field deployable phosphate analyzer.  This newly developed two pump methodology will be applied to other chemical assays that are of relevance to chemical oceanography such as silicate, trace metals). 


Last Modified: 03/02/2020
Modified by: Mariko Hatta

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