DOC CRM

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the world ocean is part of the global carbon cycle that interacts with the planetary climatic system through its connection with atmospheric carbon dioxide. Keeping track of this DOC requires the cooperative effort of many marine laboratories worldwide. Making sure that all of these laboratories are making accurate DOC measurements requires that each one have access to a standardized sample of seawater for which the DOC concentration is set by international consensus. This award will fund the University of Miami to continue a consensus reference material (CRM) program that was first developed in 1998 in support of consistent, high quality measurements of dissolved organic carbon by the international ocean chemistry community. With continuation of this work, the US and international communities will create with confidence consistent measurements of a major marine carbon reservoir, thereby advancing society’s ability to assess changes in the marine carbon cycle and the role of the ocean in climate change. With continued strong international efforts to investigate the marine carbon cycle, the existing CRM program provides the necessary benchmark for globally comparable marine DOC measurements. Water from the deep Florida Strait (~42 mol/kg DOC) will be collected, ampoulated, and distributed to the US and international community. Since program launch, ~228,000 vials of reference waters have been distributed to ~240 US and international laboratories in 45 nations, currently at a rate of ~27,000 vials/year. With renewal of the reference material program for an eigth 3-year period of support, distribution of deep ocean water containing biologically refractory dissolved organic carbon and low carbon reference water will continue to aid the analytical work of the DOM community.