The quality control of oceanic carbon dioxide measurements: preparation and distribution of reference materials

该项目的目标是为海洋二氧化碳测量提供一种质量控制机制，特别是那些作为国际全球计划一部分的海洋二氧化碳测量。这将有助于确保这些测量结果具有可比性和准确性，尽管它们是在不同的实验室、不同的时间进行的;这将是设计全球海洋观测系统的一个重要因素，并在海洋酸化测量的质量控制方面发挥重要作用。为了实现这一目标，位于圣地亚哥的加州大学斯克里普斯海洋学研究所的一个研究小组将为海洋二氧化碳系统的参数准备和认证参考材料：海水样本的总溶解无机碳、总碱度和氢离子浓度、pH值。总溶解无机碳和总碱度的参考物质将基于天然海水，灭菌，装瓶，并使用适当的参考方法对这些参数进行分析。pH值参考物质将基于合成海水中的Tris缓冲液，并使用经典Harned细胞进行分析。此外，他们将分发校准的酸性滴定剂用于碱度测量。这些参考材料将分发给美国和国际调查人员，以协助海洋CO2测量的质量控制。在该项目的三年期间，该团队预计将分发至少25，000瓶参考材料。这些材料还将用于提供供试品，用于测定这些不同参数的分析方法的合作研究。该项目的一个重要部分涉及对未来的规划。 该小组将努力改进目前用于参考材料的包装，使其更加方便。主要研究者还将与美国国家标准与技术研究所（NIST）进行互动，以确保当前制备和认证参考物质的过程得到适当记录。 必须确保为今后的海洋科学研究长期提供参考材料，必须确定一个机构或公司来承担这一责任。首席研究员将与NIST合作，为未来提出一项计划，并将研究美国、欧洲或日本以外的可能性。更广泛的影响：向国际社会提供参考材料有助于提高世界各地海洋碳数据的总体质量，既可用于海洋碳分布的实地研究，也可用于海洋酸化的相关研究。因此，这是美国对该领域研究基础设施的重大贡献。学历：这样一个实验室的存在，在一个主要的美国海洋学机构，确保本科生和研究生，在实验室工作的同时，这个参考材料计划受益于高质量的分析技术，这是这样一个程序的一部分教育，也从辅助讨论与质量控制和质量保证。它还为该机构的其他学生提供了一个资源，这些学生有兴趣将高质量的碳测量作为他们研究的一部分。首席研究员还被要求通过电话或电子邮件交谈以及更正式的课程指导其他人进行CO2测量。外联：首席研究员将参与与其海洋碳系统研究有关的若干公共外联活动。特别是，他预计将继续在海洋酸化领域做一些公开介绍，并与加州州和加州海流酸化网络等各种团体合作，提高这些团体进行高质量二氧化碳测量的能力。

The goal of this project is to provide a mechanism for the quality control of the oceanic carbon dioxide measurements, in particular those that are made as part of international global programs. This will help to ensure that such measurements are comparable and accurate although made in different laboratories at different times; and will be an important factor in the design of a Global Ocean Observing System, as well as playing a significant role in the quality control of ocean acidification measurements. To achieve this, a research team at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography of the University of California at San Diego will prepare and certify reference materials for the parameters of the oceanic carbon dioxide system: total dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity, and hydrogen ion concentration, pH, for a sample of sea water. The reference materials for total dissolved inorganic carbon and for total alkalinity will be based on natural seawater, sterilized, bottled, and analyzed using appropriate reference methods for these parameters. Reference materials for pH will be based on Tris buffers in synthetic seawater and analyzed using classical Harned cells. In addition, they will distribute calibrated acid titrant for alkalinity measurements. These reference materials will be distributed to US and to international investigators to assist in the quality control of oceanic CO2 measurements. During the three years of this project, the team expects to distribute at least 25,000 bottles of reference material. These materials will also be used to provide test samples for use in collaborative studies of the analytical methods used to determine these various parameters. An important part of the project involves planning for the future. The team will work to improve the packaging currently used for the reference materials so as to make it significantly more convenient. The principal investigator will also interact with the US National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) to ensure that the current process for preparing and certifying reference materials is appropriately documented. It is essential to assure a long-term supply of reference materials for future ocean science research, and it will be necessary to identify an agency or company that will take on this responsibility. The principal investigator will work with NIST to recommend a plan for the future and will also work to investigate possibilities outside the US, in Europe or Japan. Broader Impacts: The provision of reference materials to the international community helps to improve the overall quality of oceanic carbon data around the world both for field studies of the distribution of oceanic carbon, as well as for studies related to ocean acidification. Thus it is a significant US contribution to research infrastructure in this field. Education: The existence of such a laboratory at a major US oceanographic institution ensures that undergraduate students and graduate students that work in the lab alongside this reference material program benefit from the education in high-quality analytical techniques that is part and parcel of such a program, and also from the ancillary discussions associated with quality control and quality assurance. It also provides a resource for other students in the institution who are interested in making high-quality carbon measurements as part of their research. The principal investigator is also called on to instruct others in CO2 measurements, both by telephone or e-mail conversations, and also in more formal courses. Outreach: The principal investigator will be involved in a number of public outreach efforts related to his research studies on the ocean carbon system. In particular, he expects to continue to make a number of public presentations in the area of ocean acidification, as well as to work with various groups such as the State of California and the California Current Acidification Network to improve the capacity of such groups to make high-quality CO2 measurements.