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| Titel |
Technical note: Could benzalkonium chloride be a suitable alternative to mercuric chloride for preservation of seawater samples? |
| VerfasserIn |
J. Gloël, C. Robinson, G. H. Tilstone, G. Tarran, J. Kaiser |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1812-0784
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Ocean Science ; 11, no. 6 ; Nr. 11, no. 6 (2015-12-07), S.947-952 |
| Datensatznummer |
250117331
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/os-11-947-2015.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Instrumental equipment unsuitable or unavailable for fieldwork as well as
lack of ship space can necessitate the preservation of seawater samples
prior to analysis in a shore-based laboratory. Mercuric chloride
(HgCl2) is routinely used for such preservation, but its handling and
subsequent disposal incur environmental risks and significant expense. There
is therefore a strong motivation to find less hazardous alternatives.
Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) has been used previously as microbial inhibitor
for freshwater samples. Here, we assess the use of BAC for marine samples
prior to the measurement of oxygen-to-argon (O2 / Ar) ratios, as used for
the determination of biological net community production. BAC at a
concentration of 50 mg dm−3 inhibited microbial activity for at least
3 days in samples tested with chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations up to
1 mg m−3. BAC concentrations of 100 and 200 mg dm−3 were no more
effective than 50 mg dm−3. With fewer risks to human health and the
environment, and no requirement for expensive waste disposal, BAC could be a
viable alternative to HgCl2 for short-term preservation of seawater
samples, but is not a replacement for HgCl2 in the case of oxygen
triple isotope analysis, which requires storage over weeks to months. In any
event, further tests on a case-by-case basis should be undertaken if use of
BAC was considered, since its inhibitory activity may depend on
concentration and composition of the microbial community. |
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