Long-term in situ chemical sensors for monitoring nutrients: phosphate sensor commercialization and ammonium sensor development

【摘要】美国海洋科学研究院申请资助开发可靠、准确、稳定的原位营养传感器，用于长期海洋观测。WET实验室一直在开发一套核心技术，利用光学检测技术，利用小体积、试剂为基础的反应化学来测定营养物质浓度。这一发展一直在与SubChem合作进行，专注于磷酸盐浓度的原位测量，并已开发出成熟的原型传感器。利用该系统获得的现场数据评估表明，测量技术是鲁棒的，传感器提供稳定和准确的读数。另外，PI？s将使用与磷酸盐传感器类似的技术开发一种铵传感器。这可能会涉及更多的试剂和泵，并可能荧光检测，这将需要重新设计歧管为此目的。更广泛的影响：溶解的营养动态广泛影响与公共健康、生态系统状态和资源可持续性相关的问题，包括气候变异、富营养化、有害藻华、碳循环和物种组成等的影响。几份关于海洋观测和水质监测的国家报告清楚地记载了对就地、自主、实时营养监测能力的需要。长期、可靠、可追踪的磷酸盐和铵原位传感器的开发和商业化将能够加强监测进入沿海地区的营养（自然和人为）投入。据推测，当流出物在水柱中上升到足够高的高度与富营养化区相交时，营养物质的添加会导致藻华，并可能促进有害藻华（HABs）。提供长期的营养监测能力将使科学家、环境管理人员和监管人员更好地了解营养物质排放在促成水华中的作用及其对浮游植物群落的影响。

ABSTRACTThe PI's request funding to develop reliable, accurate, stable in situ nutrient sensors for long-term ocean observing. WET Labs has been developing a core set of technologies to utilize optical detection techniques for determination of nutrient concentrations using low volume, reagent-based reaction chemistry. This development has been ongoing in partnership with SubChem, focusing on the in situ measurement of phosphate concentration and has led to a mature prototype sensor. Evaluation of the in situ data obtained using this system has shown that the measurement technology is robust, and that the sensor provides stable and accurate readings. In addition, the PI?s will develop an Ammonium sensor using a similar technology as the Phosphate sensor. This will likely involve one more reagent and hence pump, and possibly fluorometric detection, which will require redesign the manifold for this purpose.Broader Impacts: Dissolved nutrient dynamics broadly affect issues related to public health, ecosystem status, and resource sustainability, including impacts of climate variability, eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, carbon cycling, and species composition among others. The need for in situ, autonomous, real-time nutrient monitoring capabilities has been clearly documented in several national reports on ocean observing and water quality monitoring. The development and commercialization of long-term, reliable, traceable phosphate and ammonium in situ sensors would enable enhanced monitoring of nutrient inputs (natural and anthropogenic) into the coastal zone. Nutrient additions have been postulated to contribute to algal blooms when the effluent rises sufficiently high in the water column to intersect with the euphotic zone and may promote harmful algal blooms (HABs). Providing a long-term nutrient monitoring capability would allow scientists, environmental managers and regulators to better understand the role of nutrient discharges in contributing to blooms and their effects on the phytoplankton community.