Improved Community Capability to Measure Dissolved Organic Nitrogen in Seawater

University Of Delaware, Newark DE

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT OCE-0082238 Although efforts are being made in a number of laboratories to improve dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) analysis and method comparisons appear to show that different techniques are not too disparate, serious precision and accuracy problems continue to plague DON data. For example, DON measurements from various experienced scientists showed that replication is on the order of 25-50%. For this reason, the PI proposes to coordinate a large group of international analysts to evaluate the efficacy of the wet chemical technique versus the high temperature combustion (HTC) method and to develop guidelines for the HTC method for routine analysis using reference standards relying on help from a small group of laboratories dedicated to type of measurements. However, the primary objective of the study will be the preparation and distribution of DON reference materials for broad use by the scientific community and to document and evaluate the impact of their use.