Impact of biofilms on dissolved oxygen sensor accuracy drift

溶解氧（DO）的可用性是水生生态系统健康的一个关键组成部分，是渔业和养分保持等几个关键生态系统服务的指标。因此，精确测量溶解氧是水生监测和研究活动的一项关键任务，推动这些重要生态系统的管理。Amirix Systems Inc.，一家在水生系统监测方面有30年创新历史的加拿大公司目前正在开发一种微型原位溶解氧记录仪技术。这款记录仪将通过启用目前大得多的国外制造的记录仪目前不支持的独特应用程序来彻底改变连续DO监测。新的应用将包括连续测量中、微生态系统和沉积物中的溶解氧，以及提高在非常小的溪流和偏远地区的监测效率和有效性。水中溶解氧原位连续监测的关键限制 生态系统的最大缺陷是由于记录仪传感器上的生物膜发展而导致的准确性/漂移损失。因此，Amirix需要通过在不同但受控的营养水平和生物污染率的环境中进行原位测试来验证其产品的准确性。拟议的研究项目的目的是评估生物膜的发展对新的溶解氧传感器的影响，通过一个受控的中生态系统研究进行在西方的TRESSES（泰晤士河生态系统研究实验流系统）研究设施位于伦敦，安大略。本研究将Amirix开发的传感器暴露于真实的河流环境，包括在受控营养物浓度（富集与背景）下的当地河流生态，并测量与生物膜发展相关的传感器漂移的速率和幅度。 该实验的结果将提供Amirix改进和销售其产品所需的性能验证数据。该产品的销售将提高Amirix在国际市场上的形象和竞争力，并将为改进水生研究和监测提供急需的工具，从而更有效地管理水生生态系统。

Availability of dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key component of aquatic ecosystem health that is indicative of several key ecosystem services such as fisheries and nutrient retention. Accurate measurement of DO is thus a critical task for aquatic monitoring and research activities that drive management of these vital ecosystems. Amirix Systems Inc., a Canadian company with a 30 year history of innovation in monitoring of aquatic systems, is currently developing a technology for a miniature, in situ, DO logger. This logger will revolutionize continuous DO monitoring by enabling unique applications not currently supported by the much larger, foreign made loggers currently available. New applications will include continuous measurement of DO in mesocosm and microcosms and in sediments as well as enhancing monitoring efficiency and effectiveness in very small streams and remote locations. A key limitation with in situ, continuous monitoring of DO in aquatic ecosystems is the loss of accuracy/drift as a result of biofilm development on the logger sensor. Amirix thus needs validation of the accuracy of their product through in-situ testing in environments with varying but controlled levels of nutrients and hence biofouling rates. The purpose of the proposed research project is evaluate the effect of biofilm development on the new DO sensor through a controlled mesocosm study to be conducted at Western's TRESSES (Thames River Experimental Stream Systems for Ecosystem Studies) research facility located in London, Ontario. This study will expose the Amirix developed sensor to realistic stream environments comprised of local stream ecological under controlled nutrient concentrations (enriched vs background) and measure the rate and magnitude of sensor drift associated with biofilm development. Results of this experiment will provide the performance validation data Amirix requires to improve and market their product. Marketing of this product will enhance Amirix's profile and competitiveness in the international market and will provide a much needed tool for improving aquatic research and monitoring leading to more effective management of aquatic ecosystems.