High resolution pH measurements using a Lab-on-Chip sensor in surface waters of Northwest European shelf seas

Rerolle, Victoire M. C., Achterberg, Eric P., Ribas-Ribas, Mariana, Kitidis, Vassilis, Brown, Ian, Bakker, Dorothee C. E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9234-5337, Lee, Gareth A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4640-5487 and Mowlem, Matthew C. (2018) High resolution pH measurements using a Lab-on-Chip sensor in surface waters of Northwest European shelf seas. Sensors, 18. ISSN 1424-8220

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Abstract

Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations are resulting in a reduction in seawater pH, with potential detrimental consequences for marine organisms. Improved efforts are required to monitor the anthropogenically driven pH decrease in the context of natural pH variations. We present here a high resolution surface water pH data set obtained in summer 2011 in NorthWest European Shelf Seas. The aim of our paper is to demonstrate the successful deployment of the pH sensor, and discuss the carbonate chemistry dynamics of surface waters of Northwest European Shelf Seas using pH and ancillary data. The pH measurements were undertaken using spectrophotometry with a Lab-on-Chip pH sensor connected to the underway seawater supply of the ship. The main processes controlling the pH distribution along the ship’s transect, and their relative importance, were determined using a statistical approach. The pH sensor allowed 10 measurements h-1 with a precision of 0.001 pH units and a good agreement with pH calculated from a pair of discretely sampled carbonate variables dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA) and partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) (e.g., pH, DIC, pCO2). For this summer cruise, the biological activity formed the main control on the pH distribution along the cruise transect. This study highlights the importance of high quality and high resolution pH measurements for the assessment of carbonate chemistry dynamics in marine waters.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Science
University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 13 Aug 2018 15:31
Last Modified: 21 Jun 2023 09:30
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/68016
DOI: 10.3390/s18082622

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