A new device for sampling small volumes of water from marine micro-environments

Recent developments in microelectrode technology provide more sensitive measurement of biologically relevant redox species and require less water than traditional wet chemical techniques. To fully exploit the power of this new technology, water samplers capable of collecting small volumes (1–10 ml) from discrete micro-environments were developed. We have designed a new, low-cost water sampler (SIPPER) to draw small volume water samples from discrete locations at deep-sea hydrothermal vents. The sampler successfully operated with the deep submergence vehicle (DSV) ALVIN at 2600 m depth to extract water samples from the fragile tube dwellings of a small polychaete. These samples were electrochemically analyzed on board ship for the presence of biologically important redox species inside the worm tube. Although designed specifically for this study, the sampler can be readily modified for application in a variety of disciplines requiring discrete samples within aquatic micro-environments.