GOPTICAS: Systems and methods for measurements of Gross Primary Production (GPP)
Unmet Need
Over geological timescales, nearly half of the world’s atmospheric oxygen (O2) has been generated in the ocean by marine organisms such as algae, plankton and seaweed. These organisms synthesize oxygen based off the availability of nutrients, with too few or too many nutrients causing adverse effects in the local ecosystems. As such, monitoring marine photosynthesis is critical to gauge the health of these ecosystems and understand potential interventions. Monitoring the level of this photosynthesis is largely conducted by measuring the Gross Primary Production (GPP), or the quantity of photosynthesis specific oxygen isotypes found in the marine environment. Current methods of isotype measurement are generally expensive, complicated, and low throughput. Thus, there is a need for a user friendly, inexpensive method to measure isotype concentrations.
Technology
Duke inventors have developed a novel method to measure oxygen isotypes using a homemade catalyst to convert oxygen into water for ease of measurement. This is intended to be used for monitoring primary production in aquatic ecosystems, that can help in the study of events such as algal blooms or processes such as gas exchange between water and atmosphere. In specific, this instrument allows analyzing isotopic ratios of extracted gases from liquids, O2 present in air, or gas cylinders. The measurements are continuous, in-situ, and with high precision. This has been demonstrated with a prototype to measure the oxygen concentration of sea water and pond water with high accuracy.
Other Applications
This technology can be used for other applications including clinical research that involve analyzing oxygen isotopes in fluids like blood or biologically produced gases, atmospheric sciences for measuring the isotopic ratios of atmospheric O2, or in the industry for calibrating and measuring isotopic ratios of O2 in gas cylinders.
Advantages
- The method uses custom-made catalysts that can perform measurements that were not possible before.
- The measurements are continuous and with high precision.
- Device manufacturing and sample measurement is simple and inexpensive.