WET Labs' extensive testing of the Water Quality Monitor includes a long-term deployment in Yaquina Bay, a high-biofouling coastal environment. View current data: |
Satellite image of Yaquina Bay
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Test Objectives
- Measure how much time elapses before biofouling occurs without anti-fouling technology.
- Assess the WQM’s longevity and the efficacy of the combined Sea-Bird standard Anti-Foulant (AF) cartridges and WET Labs Bleach Injection System (BLIS) to deter biofouling.
- Collect high quality data for more than 3 months without the need for instrument service, using anti-fouling technology.
- Demonstrate that the WQM as a single, multi-sensored instrument provides reliable, multi-parameter data in a single data stream, simplifying data analysis and management for ocean observing system integrators.
Operational Setup
Two WQMs are deployed from a floating platform in Yaquina Bay—one without any anti-fouling technology (control, WQM-001) and the other with AF cartridges in combination with BLIS (WQM-003.) The BLIS system is configured to deliver 36 µl of bleach once per hour and operate for 90 days without service. After 90 days the BLIS system bleach supply may be refilled to sustain the deployment.
Two WQMs are deployed from a floating platform in Yaquina Bay—one without any anti-fouling technology (control, WQM-001) and the other with AF cartridges in combination with BLIS (WQM-003.) The BLIS system is configured to deliver 36 µl of bleach once per hour and operate for 90 days without service. After 90 days the BLIS system bleach supply may be refilled to sustain the deployment.
Values of the deployed WQM sensors will be tracked with an additional calibrated FLNTU, SBE49, and SBE43, maintained out-of-water to validate data points three days/week. Data is synchronized to the time of samples from the deployed WQMs through a DH4. Dissolved oxygen data is monitored closely because this sensor is most susceptible to biofouling. Triplicate water samples are collected for weekly Winkler titration to verify the SBE43 calibration.