Program

 
General Session 2: Marine & estuarine biogeochemistry
 
 
 
Poster
Underway analysis of nanomolar dissolved reactive phosphorus in oligotrophic seawater with automated hybrid on-line solid phase extraction and spectrophotometric system
GS2-60-S
Jian Ma, Xiamen University
Yuan Yuan* , Xiamen University
Presenter Email: 317639255@qq.com
The automated in-field determination of trace phosphate (and other nutrients) is highly valuable for studying nutrient dynamics and cycling in oligotrophic oceans. Here, we report an automated portable analyzer for week-long underway analysis of nanomolar dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in seawater. The method is based on classic phosphomolybdenum blue (PMB) chemistry combined with on-line solid phase extraction (SPE) and hybrid flow analysis. Under optimized conditions, the formed PMB from sample is automatically concentrated on a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance SPE sorbent. The PMB compound can be eluted with NaOH solution and measured in a flow-through detection system. All the components of the analyzer are computer controlled using laboratory-programmed software based on LabVIEW. The system exhibited advantages of high sensitivity (detection limit of 1.0 nM) and reproducibility (relative standard deviation of 5.4%, n = 180), insignificant carry-over effect and no interferences from salinity, silicate, arsenate and other P-containing compounds (concentrations at environmental level). The accuracy of the method was validated through the analysis of reference materials and comparison with two other published methods (slope of 0.986 ± 0.027, intercept of 0.39 ± 0.64 nM, R2 of 0.9608, range of 0-80 nM, n = 57). The system has been successfully applied for a two-week continuous underway determination of DRP in surface seawater during a cruise in the South China Sea. Based on the laboratory and field evaluations, it is concluded that this system is suitable for accurate and high resolution underway DRP measurements in oligotrophic areas.