title: Validation trials of a shipboard filter skid (p3SFS) demonstrate its utility for collecting living zooplankton.
abstract: Relatively large volumes of water-on the order of cubic meters-must be sampled and analyzed to generate statistically valid estimates of sparsely concentrated organisms, such as in treated ballast water. To this end, a third prototype of a shipboard filter skid (p3SFS) was designed and constructed. It consisted of two housings (each containing a 35 μm mesh filter bag) and its own pump and computer controller. Additionally, the skid had a drip sampler, which collected a small volume (∼ 10 L) of whole (unfiltered) water immediately upstream of the housings. Validation of the p3SFS occurred in two segments: (1) land-based trials, in which the collection of organisms ⩾ 50 μm (nominally zooplankton) by the p3SFS was compared to a plankton net, and (2) shipboard trials, in which ballast water was sampled aboard a ship. In both types of trials, the data collected showed the filter skid to be an appropriate flow-through sampling device.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6136, Key West, FL 33041, United States. Electronic address: lisa.drake@nrl.navy.mil.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.affiliation: Excet Inc., Springfield, VA 22151, United States.
authors.forename: Cameron S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.affiliation: Excet Inc., Springfield, VA 22151, United States.
authors.forename: Stephanie H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Robbins-Wamsley
authors.affiliation: Excet Inc., Springfield, VA 22151, United States.
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.affiliation: Excet Inc., Springfield, VA 22151, United States.
authors.forename: Timothy P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Wier
authors.affiliation: Battenkill Technologies, Inc., Manchester Center, VT 05255, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, New London, CT 06320, United States.
authors.forename: Penny R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Herring
authors.affiliation: Excet Inc., Springfield, VA 22151, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: First
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods*; D058865:Introduced Species; D012767:Ships / Q000379:methods*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000254:growth & development*
keywords: Aquatic nuisance species; Ballast water; Invasive species; Plankton; Sampling