Ultra-low nutrient levels in the Mediterranean

Scientists at Haifa University’s Marine Biological Station in Israel are exploiting the ultra-low detection limits of SEAL Analytical’s lab equipment to measure extremely low nutrient concentrations in marine water.

The University’s Prof. Krom says: "The Eastern Mediterranean has the lowest regional concentration of dissolved nutrients anywhere in the global ocean. We therefore utilize an automated segmented flow analyzer from SEAL Analytical, which has been specially adapted to accommodate ultra-low measurements.”

Low nutrient levels cause low levels of plankton, which result in a low biomass of fish. However, coastal areas usually support more fish than offshore, so the research seeks to quantify and understand the nutrient cycle in the coastal regions, which is poorly understood at present.

The SEAL AutoAnalyser 3 (AA3)is a 4 channel system, measuring 50-80 samples per day for Phosphate, Ammonia and Silicate.