Program

Trace elements and their isotopes (TEIs) are widely recognized to play an important role in regulating the marine ecosystem function, global carbon cycle and climate change, and to serve as useful proxies of various oceanographic processes.  An international program, GEOTRACES, is implemented to accelerate the scientific research of marine biogeochemistry of TEIs and to generate abundant datasets of TEIs distribution at a global scale for a precise and comprehensive understanding of TEIs behaviors in the ocean.  The development of large-capacity and non-contaminating sampling system is critical to enhance scientists’ ability of collecting a large amount of uncontaminated samples along ocean basin-wide sections in a timely manner.  Unfortunately, the ocean sections in the Western Pacific Ocean and Chinese marginal seas planned by GEOTRACES still remain largely unexploited due to the lack of clean and rapid sampling system for TEIs in China.  To improve Chinese capacity to conduct the scientific research on marine biogeochemistry of TEIs as part of GEOTRACES activities, a scientific team in State Key Laboratory of marine environmental science of Xiamen University works closely with international TEIs geochemists to build the Chinese Trace Elements and Isotopes Sampling System (C-TEISS).  The C-TEISS consists of a winch unit with an 8000 meter Vectran conducting cable, a commercial available CTD unit designed for TEIs sampling with 24 12 liters Niskin-X/OTE C-Free bottles mounted on an epoxy-coasted aluminum carousel, a 20’ subsampling clean van, and a 20’ analytical clean van for a microwave-assisted digestion instrument and a Fe(II)Lume FIA analyzer.  The C-TEISS is expected to be launched in mid-2017 together with the new R/V Tan Kah Kee.