A Water Collecting System for Under-Ice Sampling

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a water sample collection system for taking high-quality samples at all depths and in severe climates. The system can be used for obtaining samples under ice, in open water, or from streams and rivers. The collection system consists of a diaphragm pump, an integration chamber, and a boom. The water sample is exposed only to Tygon tubing and acrylic plastic before storage in aliquots, The integration chamber is easy to rinse between samples. Syringe and bulk water aliquots from the integration chamber can be subsampled the same way they are from a Van Dorn bottle. Duplicate samples precision is demonstrated using samples from three Adirondack lakes analyzed for pH, conductivity, acid neutralizing capacity, and dissolved inorganic carbon. Conductivity values of blank samples of deionized water, and a comparison of analysis and duplicate precision data for field samples collected through the ice and in open water using a Van Dorn bottle, are also presented.