Development of a protocol describing the sampling procedures and chemical analysis of interstitial water from marine sediments

• Grant number: 12/16434-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Chemical Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Luigi Jovane
• Grantee: Luana Ambrosio de Almeida
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This proposal aims to develop a protocol describing the sampling procedures and chemical analysis of interstitial water from marine sediments. One of the main difficulties in the study of the chemical properties of interstitial water is to assure the validity of the procedure of the many phases of the analysis, since, the samples may be altered by exposure to atmospheric air and of due to temperature variations (Gieskes, 1975). In reason of these difficulties, the present study proposes testing and validating different experimental procedures with the intent of formalizing in a protocol the methodologies that demonstrate to be more reliable, appropriate and non-destructives. The protocol to be developed will include all the phases: core collection, poor water extraction, sampling and chemical analysis. For the phase of chemical analysis the nitrate, phosphate and silicate ions will be analyzed. Up to the present time few studies involving the chemical analysis of interstitial water and its relations with sediments have been carried-out in Brazil; for this cause, the definition of a protocol will be the basis for future researches in the areas of oceanography, sedimentology and environmental studies (US EPA, 2001) and in studies of climatic changes (ODP Information Technology and Data Services, 2007). (AU)