Development and Research: Determining the Benthic Flux of Dissolved Metals
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Photos of a coring operation showing the deployment of the non-metallic coring device, capping of the core upon retrieval, and removal of the core tube in preparation for incubation. Modified from Kuwabara and others (2000)
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USGS scientists on a boat are collecting sediments from the bottom of the Camp Far West Reservoir, California. Samples are collected in TeflonĀ® core tubes for benthic-flux analysis. A davit and winch used for core sampling is on the right. A davit is a small crane on ships that raises and lowers objects over the side.
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Close-up of the non-metallic coring device used to collect bottom-sediment samples for incubation experiments.
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Close-up of the core holder used to conduct the incubations tests to determine the benthic flux of solutes from bottom-sediment and overlying-water samples. |
Close-up in the laboratory of the top of incubation core tubes containing bottom sediments. The syringe is used to sample the overlying water during the incubation period. The concentration of solutes in the overlying water is used to provide time-series information on the change in concentration of solutes during the test. The concentration time-series data is used to determine the benthic flux of solutes from the sediments. |
In situ benthic-flux chamber (Lander) measures the flux of solutes into and out of bottom sediments in lakes, estuaries, and reservoirs. Unlike core-incubation experiments that are conducted in a laboratory after field sampling, the Lander experiments occur on site (hence, in situ).
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Collecting water-quality samples with a non-metallic pumping system on the Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada. |
USGS scientists collecting water samples on the Camp Far West Reservoir, California |
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