Comparison of Techniques for Preserving Dissolved Nutrients in Open-Ocean Seawater Samples

摘要

A survey of recent literature on methods for preserving nutrients indicates that the major factors which have been considered are: filtration and type of filter, material and history of storage containers, the influence of light, storage temperature and how it is achieved, the effectiveness of various acids, poisons, and preservatives, and the source of the sample. No comprehensive studies of open ocean seawater were found. A comprehensive study of nutrient preservation techniques was conducted on surface and deep seawater samples collected in the Gulf Stream east of Miami, Florida. No preservation techniques were found to be satisfactory for near-surface open ocean seawater. Results for deep water samples are found to be substantially better. The degree of preservation was not substantially improved by complex techniques involving freezing and chemical additives. Storage of filtered samples in aged polyethylene bottles at 2 exp 0 C in the dark is recommended for samples that must be stored.