Microfluidics for a macro ocean: autonomous sensors for ocean biogeochemical measurements
Event details
| Date | 02.11.2018 |
| Hour | 11:00 › 12:00 |
| Speaker |
Dr Alisson SCHAAP, Senior Research Engineer, Microfluidic Sensors in the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK |
| Location |
AAC 1 108
|
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract
Natural waters – including oceans, lakes, seas, and rivers – are vital for life on earth and yet often inadequately sampled and understood due in no small part to the difficulty and cost of accessing open water for manual sampling. To address this, the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton develops microfluidic sensors designed to autonomously perform in situ measurements of water chemistry down to full ocean depths. By taking advantage of the low reagent and power consumption achievable by combining microfluidics and optics, these sensors can be – and have been – deployed for months at a time in a wide range of settings.
In this presentation I’ll first give an overview of our general sensor platform, which has been implemented to measure a wide range of chemical parameters including nitrate, phosphate, and pH. Some recent deployments – from the arctic to the tropics – will be used to illustrate the advantages and long-term potential of this technology.
The second part of the presentation will focus in on one of our newest sensors, which measures the total alkalinity of water. Alkalinity is a measurement of the capacity of water to buffer against changes in pH and is thus a key parameter for monitoring and modelling ocean acidification and the carbon cycle. The scientific applications of this sensor require reliable accuracy (better than 0.1%) during autonomous deployments lasting months in harsh and varying conditions. The sensor has just been deployed at sea for the first time this summer; the results from lab tests and preliminary results from the sea show that the technology is in a strong position to be able to meet these demands.
Lastly, I’ll discuss some of the engineering challenges that arise when creating technology that has to survive at sea, lessons we’ve learned, and the group’s future plans for the technology.
In this presentation I’ll first give an overview of our general sensor platform, which has been implemented to measure a wide range of chemical parameters including nitrate, phosphate, and pH. Some recent deployments – from the arctic to the tropics – will be used to illustrate the advantages and long-term potential of this technology.
The second part of the presentation will focus in on one of our newest sensors, which measures the total alkalinity of water. Alkalinity is a measurement of the capacity of water to buffer against changes in pH and is thus a key parameter for monitoring and modelling ocean acidification and the carbon cycle. The scientific applications of this sensor require reliable accuracy (better than 0.1%) during autonomous deployments lasting months in harsh and varying conditions. The sensor has just been deployed at sea for the first time this summer; the results from lab tests and preliminary results from the sea show that the technology is in a strong position to be able to meet these demands.
Lastly, I’ll discuss some of the engineering challenges that arise when creating technology that has to survive at sea, lessons we’ve learned, and the group’s future plans for the technology.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
- Prof. Yves Bellouard, GALATEA LAB, IMT, Microcity Neuchâtel
Contact
- Josiane Pachoud