TY - JOUR
T1 - Fluoro-Electrochemistry Based Phytoplankton Bloom Detection and Enumeration;
T2 - Field Validation of a New Sensor for Ocean Monitoring
AU - Barton, Samuel
AU - Yang, Minjun
AU - Batchelor-McAuley, Christopher
AU - Mitchell, Elaine
AU - Chen, Haotian
AU - Widdicombe, Claire E.
AU - Wheeler, Glen L.
AU - Compton, Richard G.
AU - Bouman, Heather A.
AU - Rickaby, Rosalind E. M.
N1 - Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society
PY - 2024/11/8
Y1 - 2024/11/8
N2 - Phytoplankton are essential for the health of our oceans, yet existing in situ methods for monitoring phytoplankton abundance and community structure are limited, with relatively poor spatiotemporal coverage and taxonomic resolution, particularly among the nanoplankton size range. Here, we build on previous work and present field testing of a novel reagent-free fluoro-electrochemical technique for monitoring changes in nanoplankton abundance and community structure in natural seawater samples. This was achieved through the construction of a prototype sensor, which was then tested over a 3-month Spring–Summer period in 2023 with samples collected from the L4 station (Western English Channel). The measurements made by our sensor were successfully validated alongside microscope-based taxonomic enumerations and analytical flow cytometry. Of the phytoplankton functional groups of interest, our results demonstrate particularly strong correlations between the sensor and both microscope-based taxonomy and flow cytometry for enumerating small coccolithophorids (i.e., calcifying Isochrysidales, of the Gephyrocapsa genus) and between the prototype and microscope-based taxonomy for enumerating diatoms. We demonstrate that the inclusion of traditionally hard to identify nanoflagellates in our classifications has minimal effect on our ability to monitor overall shifts in community structure and bloom detection. Taking things forward, the potential for in situ deployment is discussed.
AB - Phytoplankton are essential for the health of our oceans, yet existing in situ methods for monitoring phytoplankton abundance and community structure are limited, with relatively poor spatiotemporal coverage and taxonomic resolution, particularly among the nanoplankton size range. Here, we build on previous work and present field testing of a novel reagent-free fluoro-electrochemical technique for monitoring changes in nanoplankton abundance and community structure in natural seawater samples. This was achieved through the construction of a prototype sensor, which was then tested over a 3-month Spring–Summer period in 2023 with samples collected from the L4 station (Western English Channel). The measurements made by our sensor were successfully validated alongside microscope-based taxonomic enumerations and analytical flow cytometry. Of the phytoplankton functional groups of interest, our results demonstrate particularly strong correlations between the sensor and both microscope-based taxonomy and flow cytometry for enumerating small coccolithophorids (i.e., calcifying Isochrysidales, of the Gephyrocapsa genus) and between the prototype and microscope-based taxonomy for enumerating diatoms. We demonstrate that the inclusion of traditionally hard to identify nanoflagellates in our classifications has minimal effect on our ability to monitor overall shifts in community structure and bloom detection. Taking things forward, the potential for in situ deployment is discussed.
KW - electrochemical cells
KW - fluorescence
KW - functional groups
KW - sensors
KW - testing and assessment
KW - ocean sensors
KW - ocean monitoring
KW - marine phytoplankton
KW - nanoplankton
KW - nanophytoplanton
KW - electrochemical sensors
KW - phytoplankton ecology
U2 - 10.1021/acsestwater.4c00530
DO - 10.1021/acsestwater.4c00530
M3 - Article
SN - 2690-0637
VL - 4
SP - 4858
EP - 4871
JO - ACS ES&T Water
JF - ACS ES&T Water
IS - 11
ER -