Turnitin: Performance of a Handheld Chlorophyll-a Fluorometer: Potential Use for Rapid Algae Monitoring
Abstract
Chlorophyll-a measurements are an important factor in the water quality monitoring of
surface waters, especially for determining the trophic status and ecosystem management. However,
a collection of field samples for extractive analysis in a laboratory may not fully represent the field
conditions. Handheld fluorometers that can measure chlorophyll-a in situ are available, but their
performance in waters with a variety of potential light-interfering substances has not yet been tested.
We tested a handheld fluorometer for sensitivity to ambient light and turbidity and compared these
findings with EPA Method 445.0 using water samples obtained from two urban lakes in Tucson,
Arizona, USA. Our results suggested that the probe was not sensitive to ambient light and performed
well at low chlorophyll-a concentrations (<25 g/L) across a range of turbidity levels (50–70 NTU).
However, the performance was lower when the chlorophyll-a concentrations were >25 g/L and
turbidity levels were <50 NTU. To account for this discrepancy, we developed a calibration equation
to use for this handheld fluorometer when field monitoring for potential harmful algal blooms in
water bodies
Collections
- Turnitin Report [1572]