EnviroDNA eDNA Water Sampling Tutorial

Summary

This video provides a detailed guide on safely collecting water samples for DNA analysis. It emphasizes personal safety, advising careful selection of sampling sites, appropriate clothing, and awareness of environmental hazards like slippery banks, snakes, and falling limbs. The process includes using a sampling kit with syringes, gloves, and disc filters to capture DNA from water while avoiding contamination. The narrator demonstrates drawing water, filtering it through disc filters, recording volumes, and finally adding a preservative to maintain sample integrity before sending it to the lab. Accuracy, safety, and proper labeling are highlighted throughout the procedure.

Takeaways

• 🛡️ Safety is the top priority; always choose stable banks and avoid hazardous areas when accessing the water.
• 🐍 Be aware of environmental hazards such as snakes, insects, slippery rocks, mud, and falling branches.
• 👖 Dress appropriately with long pants, sturdy shoes, and optional protective gear like gaiters, hats, and sunglasses.
• 🚫 Never enter the water to prevent both personal danger and sample contamination.
• 📦 Each sampling kit contains all necessary equipment: large syringe, gloves, disc filters, and preservative syringes.
• ✏️ Accurately record the site code, date, waterway name, and your name on each sample for lab tracking.
• 💧 Draw water carefully with the large syringe, avoiding sediment and algae to prevent filter clogging.
• 🔄 Attach the filter to the syringe and push water through; repeat until the filter is clogged, noting the total volume filtered.
• 💨 Remove remaining water from the filter by using air in the syringe before adding preservative.
• 🧪 Add preservative to the filter to stop DNA degradation, then cap and store the sample securely for lab transport.
• 📊 Label each filter clearly (e.g., 1 and 2) to help the lab team identify samples accurately.
• 🔢 There is no fixed water volume to filter; collect as much as feasible without forcing it through the filter.

Q & A

Why is safety emphasized before taking water samples?

Safety is emphasized to prevent accidents, such as slips, falls, snake bites, or falling branches, and to ensure participants do not enter potentially hazardous areas. It also helps prevent contamination of the samples.

What personal protective equipment (PPE) is recommended for water sampling?

Recommended PPE includes long pants, sturdy shoes, optional gaiters, a hat, and sunglasses depending on conditions, along with gloves provided in the sampling kit.

Why should participants avoid entering the water during sampling?

Entering the water can be dangerous and also increases the risk of contaminating the water samples, which could compromise the DNA analysis.

What items are included in the water sampling kit?

The kit contains a large syringe for collecting water, gloves to prevent contamination, disc filters to capture DNA, two smaller syringes with preservative, and labels for recording site information.

How should filters be labeled, and why?

Filters should be labeled numerically (e.g., '1' and '2') to make them easily identifiable for the lab team and ensure accurate tracking of samples.

How is water collected for DNA sampling?

Water is drawn directly from the waterway using a large syringe, avoiding sediment and algae to prevent clogging the filters, and the total volume filtered is recorded.

What is the purpose of the disc filter in the sampling process?

The disc filter captures DNA from the water while allowing clean water to pass through, effectively isolating genetic material for analysis.

How should participants handle a filter once water has been passed through it?

Participants should remove excess water by pushing air through the filter using a syringe, then add preservative and cap the filter to prevent DNA degradation before sending it to the lab.

What information must be recorded on each water sample?

Participants should record the site code, date of sampling, waterway name, the volume of water filtered, and their name for proper tracking and contact if needed.

How should the preservative be applied to the filter?

The preservative is gently added using a small syringe attached to the filter, filling it slightly to prevent DNA degradation during transport to the lab.

Is there a fixed amount of water that needs to be filtered?

No, there is no fixed volume. Participants should filter as much water as possible without forcing it, as the more water filtered, the higher the chance of capturing DNA.