Acquisition of auto analyzer system for nutrient analysis at sea

Texas A&M proposes to acquire a 5-channel nutrient autoanalyzer for use at sea for the measurement of nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, silicate and ammonia during research cruises carried out by personnel from the Department of Oceanography at Texas A&M University and the Departments of Marine Biology and Marine Science at Texas A&M University, Galveston. Such measurements are currently made using samples collected at sea and frozen, then analyzed on an old Astoria-Pacific instrument at the laboratory at the Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG).

Having an instrument that can go to sea would mean more timely and accurate results for their programs. Texas A&M Provided technical descriptions and rationale for the acquisition of the following Oceanographic Instrumentation: 1) SEAL AA500 autoanalyzer $100,590 Broader Impacts

The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 19-602). It provides infrastructure support for scientists to use the vessel and its shared-use instrumentation in support of their NSF-funded oceanographic research projects (which individually undergo separate review by the relevant research program of NSF).

The acquisition, maintenance and operation of shared-use instrumentation allows NSF-funded researchers from any US university or lab access to working, calibrated instruments for their research, reducing the cost of that research, and expanding the base of potential researchers.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.