Precise and Accurate Determination by Infrared Photometry of CO2 Dynamics in Marine Ecosystems

Authors

Kenneth M. Johnson, University of Rhode Island
Curtis M. Burney, University of Rhode IslandFollow
John McN. Sieburth, University of Rhode Island

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Marine Ecology Progress Series

ISSN

0171-8630

Publication Date

1-20-1983

Abstract

Preliminary studies with an ampule analyzing unit and infrared (IR) detector showed that procedures for standardization and determination of total carbon dioxide (ΣCO₂), while often precise, lacked the accuracy required to estimate the net productivity and respiration of aquatic ecosystems during studies in which sampling over diel cycles was used. Scaling down sample and standard volumes to the µl range and the use of a commercial sodium carbonate standard without dilution before and after replicate sample injections gave accurate results as shown by comparison with indirect (pH-alkalinity) ΣCO₂, determinations with a standard error of ±3 µmoles in the laboratory and ±6 µmoles at sea for 8 to 10 replicates. This was sufficient to detect a diurnal consumption and nocturnal production of CO₂, which were inversely correlated with O₂ variation in a salt marsh, an estuarine mesocosm, and the Caribbean Sea.

Volume

10

First Page

251

Last Page

256

Comments

©1982-1983 Inter-Research

Additional Comments

NSF grant #s: OCE-7681779, OCE-7826388, OCE-8121881

NSUWorks Citation

Kenneth M. Johnson, Curtis M. Burney, and John McN. Sieburth. 1983. Precise and Accurate Determination by Infrared Photometry of CO2 Dynamics in Marine Ecosystems .Marine Ecology Progress Series : 251 -256. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/658.