A scientist from Massachusetts Institute of Technology proposes to participate in the summer 2008 and 2009 GEOTRACES intercalibration cruises to compare/contrast water samples collected using the MITESS trace element sampler versus those collected using the Kevlar mounted and trace element rosette Go-FLO bottles. Evidence suggests the MITESS samplers may be less prone to low-level metal contamination for some elements under certain conditions. In addition, he proposes to aid in the collection of large volume samples (i.e, 500 liter acidified homogenized samples of surface and deepwater) for the analysis and intercalibration of key GEOTRACES trace element concentrations (Fe, Cd, Zn, Cu, and Mn) and trace element isotope ratios (Pb, Fe, Zn). Lastly, the investigators plans to participate in a group effort to establish publicly-available standard protocols for the sample collection and analysis of contamination-prone trace element isotope ratios.
As regards broader impacts, intercalibration of different methods is a key first step for the GEOTRACES program to ensure that measurements obtained from different laboratories and various part of the global ocean can be compared/contrasted to further our understanding of the biogeochemistry of trace elements and the impact of anthropogenic emissions on earth. One graduate student would be supported and trained as part of this project.
