Collecting Water Samples for Mercury Analysis

Summary

This instructional video guide outlines the meticulous process of collecting water, sediment, and dragonfly larvae samples from national parks for mercury analysis. It emphasizes the importance of following protocols, maintaining cleanliness, and safety during field sampling. Participants are provided with a collection kit, and the video offers detailed steps on equipment setup, sampling techniques, and sample storage and shipment, ensuring accurate mercury level assessments to protect park ecosystems.

Takeaways

• 📘 Follow protocols and maintain cleanliness for uncontaminated mercury samples.
• 🌐 The video is a guide for collecting dragonfly larvae, water, and sediment samples for mercury analysis in national parks.
• 📚 Download the sampling guide from the provided website for detailed instructions.
• 🧑‍🔬 Collect samples for mercury analysis, including water, sediment, and dragonfly larvae.
• 📸 Document the sampling process with pictures and observations, but adhere strictly to the protocol for actual sampling.
• 🧳 Upon participation, receive a collection kit with specified equipment and materials.
• 👷‍♂️ Ensure personal safety with flotation devices for citizen scientists entering the water.
• 📅 Schedule sampling at least two weeks in advance and preferably on Monday to Wednesday for timely lab analysis.
• 🌡️ Collect water samples first as they are most sensitive to contamination and perform the task in consistent weather conditions.
• 👐 Differentiate roles for 'clean hands' and 'dirty hands' during sampling to prevent contamination.
• 🚰 Rinse the sampling bottle thrice before filling it with water to ensure cleanliness.
• 📝 Record barcode and other details on the field data sheet and store samples on ice after collection.
• 📦 Ship samples within 24 hours using FedEx overnight, with a prepaid return label and contact your coordinator for tracking.
• ❓ Contact the project coordinator for any questions regarding sampling procedures.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video script?

The main purpose of the video script is to guide participants on how to collect water, sediment, and dragonfly larvae samples for mercury analysis in national parks, ensuring the samples are not contaminated and following the correct protocols.

Where can I find the sampling guide mentioned in the video?

You can download a copy of the sampling guide from the website displayed on the screen during the video.

What are the three types of samples that will be collected for mercury analysis?

The three types of samples to be collected are water, sediment, and dragonfly larvae.

What is the importance of following the protocol during sampling?

Following the protocol ensures that the samples are collected without contamination, which is crucial for accurate mercury analysis and understanding the risk of mercury to national park ecosystems.

What safety equipment is required for citizen scientists who are going into the water?

Citizen scientists going into the water must have personal flotation devices for safety.

When should I contact the project coordinator before collecting the water sample?

You should contact the project coordinator at least 2 weeks prior to when you plan to collect the water sample to allow for analytical preparation time for the lab.

What are the best days to collect water samples according to the script?

The best days to collect water samples are Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday to ensure the samples can be shipped within 24 hours of collection and to avoid weekends when the lab may not be staffed.

What should be done if the water sample bottle gets sediment or mud from the bottom of the water body during collection?

If the sample bottle gets sediment or mud, the participant should pour out the sample, rinse the bottle three times, and then try to collect the sample again.

How should the water sample be stored in the field before shipping?

The water sample should be stored in a cooler with bagged ice, and the sample should be sealed in its double bags. A copy of the field data sheet should also be placed in a zipper bag inside the cooler.

What should be included in the shipment of the water samples to the lab?

The shipment should include the water sample in the cooler with ice, a FedEx shipping label, a copy of the field data sheet in a zipper bag, and the field coordinator's contact information.

How should the sample be handled after collection to avoid contamination?

After collection, the sample should be handled by 'clean hands' who only touch the inner bag in the sample bottle. 'Dirty hands' should handle everything else to prevent contamination of the sample.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Mercury Sampling Protocol for National Parks

This paragraph introduces a project aimed at understanding mercury's impact on national park ecosystems. It emphasizes the importance of following protocols to avoid contamination when collecting dragonfly larvae, water, and sediment samples for mercury analysis. The video guide is designed to assist in the sampling process, and participants are encouraged to download the sampling guide for detailed instructions. The paragraph outlines the necessary equipment, including gloves, a cooler, and a field datasheet, and stresses the importance of safety and cleanliness. It also provides specific instructions for when and how to collect water samples, including the optimal days of the week for sampling to ensure timely lab analysis.

05:02

📦 Proper Handling and Shipment of Mercury Samples

This paragraph focuses on the correct handling and shipment of water samples collected for mercury analysis. It details the process of sealing the samples in double bags and storing them on ice in a cooler. The importance of recording barcodes and other relevant information on the field datasheet is highlighted. The paragraph also provides guidance on cleaning up the sampling site and adhering to the 'Leave No Trace' principle. It outlines the shipping process, including the use of a FedEx overnight service with a prepaid return label, and the necessity of coordinating with the project coordinator to ensure timely and proper delivery of the samples to the lab. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to maintain cleanliness and safety throughout the sampling process.

Keywords

💡Mercury

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can be found all around us and is a subject of concern due to its potential toxicity to ecosystems. In the video's context, it is the focus of the study to understand how it moves through the environment and its risks to national park ecosystems. The script emphasizes the importance of collecting uncontaminated samples for accurate mercury analysis.

💡Contamination

Contamination refers to the presence of impurities or unwanted substances that could affect the quality of a sample. In the video, it is crucial to avoid contamination when collecting samples for mercury analysis, as it could skew the results and lead to inaccurate conclusions about the environment's mercury levels.

💡Protocols

Protocols are a set of established methods or rules to be followed in scientific research to ensure standardization and accuracy. The script mentions following protocols as a critical step in collecting samples to maintain the integrity of the data collected for mercury analysis.

💡Dragonfly larvae

Dragonfly larvae are the immature stage of dragonflies and are used as bioindicators in the video's study. They are collected alongside water and sediment samples to analyze mercury levels, as they can reflect the health of the aquatic ecosystem.

💡Sediment

Sediment refers to the material that settles at the bottom of a body of water. In the video, sediment samples are collected along with water and dragonfly larvae to assess mercury accumulation, as sediment can act as a reservoir for pollutants.

💡Field sampling

Field sampling is the process of collecting samples directly from the environment for analysis. The video script describes the process of collecting water, sediment, and dragonfly larvae samples in national parks for mercury analysis, emphasizing the fun and safety aspects of the activity.

💡Citizen scientists

Citizen scientists are members of the public who participate in scientific research, often as volunteers. In the script, citizen scientists are encouraged to participate in the dragonfly project, contributing to the collection of samples for mercury analysis.

💡Personal flotation devices

Personal flotation devices, such as life jackets, are safety equipment worn to prevent drowning. The script mentions that anyone entering the water for sampling must have personal flotation devices, highlighting the importance of safety during fieldwork.

💡No Trace

Leave No Trace is an outdoor ethics principle that promotes responsible outdoor recreation by minimizing impact on the environment. The script advises to collect all field gear and remove trash from the sample site, adhering to this principle.

💡Sampling guide

A sampling guide is a document that provides instructions for collecting samples in a standardized way. The video script mentions a specific sampling guide for collecting dragonfly larvae, water, and sediment samples, which can be downloaded from a website for reference.

💡Shipping

Shipping in this context refers to the process of sending collected samples to a lab for analysis. The script outlines the steps for preparing and shipping water samples, emphasizing the need for prompt delivery within 24 hours of collection to ensure sample integrity.

Highlights

The project aims to understand mercury movement in the environment and its risks to national park ecosystems.

Participants are guided on collecting uncontaminated samples by following protocols and maintaining cleanliness.

A sampling guide is provided for collecting dragonfly larvae, water, and sediment samples for mercury analysis.

The guide can be downloaded from a specified website.

Field sampling involves collecting water, sediment, and dragonfly larvae samples.

A filled collection kit is provided to participants, including gloves, bottles, and a field datasheet.

Citizen scientists must have personal flotation devices when going into the water.

Sampling should be scheduled at least 2 weeks in advance and ideally on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.

Water samples are the most sensitive to contamination and should be collected first.

Sampling techniques vary for lakes and streams, with specific instructions for each.

A two-person team is needed for sampling, with designated 'clean' and 'dirty' roles.

Gloves must be handled carefully to avoid contamination, with specific guidance on donning them.

The sample bottle must be rinsed three times before being filled with water.

Proper sealing and storage procedures are outlined to maintain sample integrity.

Field data must be recorded, and samples should be stored on ice in a cooler.

Shipping instructions are provided, including using FedEx overnight with a prepaid return label.

Samples must be shipped within 24 hours of collection to ensure accuracy.

Contact with the project coordinator is essential for scheduling and shipping.

A Leave No Trace policy is emphasized, ensuring the sample site is clean and undisturbed post-sampling.

Transcripts

thank you for participating this project

mercury is all around us in your

contribution will help all of us better

understand how mercury moves through the

environment and understand the risk of

mercury to national park ecosystems to

collect samples that don't get

contaminated means following protocols

and keeping everything ultra clean this

video supports the sampling guide for

the collection of dragonfly larvae water

and sediment samples from national parks

for mercury analysis you can download a

copy of the guide at the website on the

screen read the guide to make sure you

have enough time for your participants

to collect everything you will be

collecting water sediment and dragonfly

larvae samples and submitting the

samples for mercury analysis unless

otherwise noted by the project

coordinator field sampling is fun take

pictures be safe make observations

record the event but for sampling be

sure to follow the protocol this water

sampling video is split into equipment

when to sample where to sample how to

sample in storage and shipment of your

sample when you have arranged to

participate in the dragonfly project you

will receive a filled collection kit

keep everything stored in a safe clean

area until you are ready to sample from

the field gear sent to you you will need

to pair of white powder free gloves in

the double bag PE tea bottle leave the

bags closed until you are out in the

field and a field datasheet a cooler a

sharpie marker you will have one PE tea

bottle for each water body that you are

sampling you will need to provide bagged

ice a trash bag Waiters or boots in your

citizen scientists who are going into

the water must have personal flotation

devices contact your project coordinator

at least 2 weeks prior to when you plan

to collect the water sample this allows

analytical preparation time for the lab

if you decide to collect this sample on

a separate day with fewer citizen

scientists just make sure to collect

within 2 weeks before or after

when the dragonflies are collected also

note it is best to collect water samples

on Monday Tuesday or Wednesday as

samples must be shipped within 24 hours

of collection and because there's not

always someone in the lab to accept

samples on Saturday or Sunday

do your best to schedule sampling during

consistent weather conditions as this

will reduce uncertainty when

interpreting results if you are

collecting all three sample types on one

day water sediment and dragonfly larvae

collect the water first this sample is

the most sensitive to contamination and

needs to be collected before anyone goes

in the water before any possible

stirring up of the site for lakes paddle

or reach or wade without stirring up the

sediment a few feet from shore into at

least one meter of weed free water for

streams reach into a deeper part of the

stream preferably a pool below a riffle

if necessary walk upstream against the

flow to the sampling site if someone

Wade's right in before collecting the

water sample then the area will be

disturbed so move a bit upstream or wait

far out enough to avoid the disturbed

area or return another day for water

samples you will need two people to do

the sampling one person will be clean

hands and the other person will be dirty

hands dirty hands job is to deal with

everything so that clean hands only

touches the inner bag in the sample

bottle at the sampling site dirty hands

gets and opens the glove bag and lets

clean hands pull out a pair of gloves

your gloves should have arrived such

that the wrist of the glove is facing

the opening of the bag that way the

gloves can be pulled from the bag with

only minimally touching the wrist part

and without having to touch the palm or

finger parts of the gloves as those

parts will be in contact with a sampling

container once the gloves are on clean

hands is careful not to touch the

outside of the gloves or anything else

dirty hands puts on the other pair of

gloves dirty hands opens the outer bag

of the PT bottle and does not touch

anything inside the outer bag clean

hands reaches into the outer bag with a

PE tea bottle and unzips the inner bag

and

pulls out the sample bottle clean hands

takes the bottle to the sample site once

in place at the sampling site clean

hands unscrews the bottle cap and rinses

the bottle and cap three times filling

from one side of your body

upstream emptying on the other side of

the body downstream if you are sampling

from a boat and fill the bottle with

rinse water on one side of the boat and

empty the rinse water on the other side

of the boat clean hands only needs a

little bit of water for this it does not

need to fill and empty the bottle three

times once the bottle is rinsed clean

hands then fills the bottle completely

in capsule form lay under water clean

hands then return to the full bottle to

the inner bag seals the inner bag and

pushes it inside the outer bag and seals

that sealing of the outer bag can be

done by clean hands or dirty hands as it

signals the completion of collecting

this sample once the sample is in the

bags both clean hands and dirty hands

can remove their gloves and throw them

in the trash bag if while collecting the

bottle is placed too low in the water

and you get sediment mud silt or

anything else from the bottom of your

water body and sample just pour the

sample out rinse the bottle three times

and try again record the barcode that is

on the bottle onto your field data sheet

if you have not done so yet fill out the

other information on the field data

sheet place sample sealed in its double

bags on ice in the cooler to store while

in the field if you are not doing the

sediment and dragonfly sampling and are

done sampling or you are moving to your

next water body

remember Leave No Trace be sure to

collect all of your field gear and

remove trash from the sample site before

departing when you get back to the lab

or office store the well marked sample

in the fridge until you ship to ship the

water samples you will need your water

sample the cooler your FedEx shipping

label clear packing tape your field data

sheet ice not dry ice and your field

coordinators contact information contact

your coordinator when you are getting

ready to ship your sample to

verified that someone is available to

accept the shipment shipment of cooler

should be sent FedEx overnight with

prepaid return label included in the kit

your coordinator will need to know the

FedEx tracking number for your cooler

please be ready to give it to him or her

again because there's not always someone

in the lab to accept samples on Saturday

or Sunday

and because samples need to be shipped

within 24 hours of collection it is best

to collect water samples on Monday

Tuesday or Wednesday water samples must

be shipped within 24 hours of collection

to prepare the samples for shipment put

your samples in a cooler with ice not

try ice place a copy of the field data

sheet in a zipper bag don't forget to

keep a copy for yourself

seal the bag with a copy of the field

data sheet and place that in the cooler

as well and seal the cooler put the

shipping label on the cooler and take to

your local FedEx office or arrange for

pickup if you have any questions about

sampling please contact your project

coordinator keep things clean

be safe thank you and have fun