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的质量控制提供一种机制，特别是那些作为国际全球计划的一部分进行的测量。这将有助于确保这种测量具有可比性和准确性，尽管这些测量是在不同的实验室在不同的时间进行的；这将是设计全球海洋观测系统的一个重要因素，并将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，加州大学圣地亚哥分校斯克里普斯海洋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。总溶解无机碳和总碱度的标准物质将以天然海水为基础，经灭菌、瓶装和使用这些参数的适当参考方法进行分析。PH的标准物质将以合成海水中的Tris缓冲液为基础，并使用经典的哈恩德池进行分析。此外，他们还将分发用于碱度测量的校准酸滴定剂。这些参考材料将分发给美国和国际调查人员，以协助海洋二氧化碳测量的质量控制。在该项目的三年中，该小组预计将分发至少25,000瓶参考材料。这些材料还将用于提供测试样品，用于对用于确定这些不同参数的分析方法进行合作研究。该项目的一个重要部分涉及到对未来的规划。该团队将努力改进目前用于标准物质的包装，使其明显更加方便。首席调查员还将与美国国家标准与技术研究所(NIST)互动，以确保当前准备和认证参考材料的过程得到适当的记录。必须确保为未来的海洋科学研究提供长期的参考材料，并有必要确定将承担这一责任的机构或公司。首席调查员将与NIST合作，为未来提出一项计划，并将努力调查美国、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整体质量，既用于海洋碳分布的实地研究，也用于与海洋酸化有关的研究。因此，这是美国对该领域研究基础设施的重大贡献。教育：在美国一家主要的海洋研究机构设立这样的实验室，确保在该实验室工作的本科生和研究生能够从高质量分析技术的教育中受益，而高质量的分析技术是该项目的一部分，也可以从与质量控制和质量保证相关的辅助讨论中受益。它还为该机构中有兴趣进行高质量碳测量的其他学生提供了一个资源，作为他们研究的一部分。首席调查员还被要求指导其他人进行二氧化碳测量，包括通过电话或电子邮件交谈，以及更正式的课程。外展：首席调查员将参与与其对海洋碳系统的研究有关的若干公共外展工作。特别是，他预计将继续在海洋酸化领域做一些公开陈述，并与加利福尼亚州和加州当前酸化网络等各种组织合作，提高这些组织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.