Publication Date:
2022-05-26
Description:
Includes Errata dated May 2, 1979
Description:
The experimental benthic chamber was designed to conduct both laboratory
and in situ investigations on the transport and degradation of petroleum type
hydrocarbons at the sediment water interface, and to investigate the sediment/
water/organism interactions. In its basic form, it consists of a rectangular
flume constructed of stainless steel tube, a windowed observation chamber, a
variable velocity pumping system and its associated controls, battery packs,
and interconnecting cables. The base of the observation chamber is a removable
assembly, allowing the user to select either a closed rectangular box for
laboratory use, or a mud grab bottom sampler configuration for in situ
evaluation.
For in situ use, the mud grab doors are opened, the device lowered until
it contacts and settles into the bottom. The side walls of the mud grab, its
jaws, and the observation chamber walls effectively seal the assembly into a
closed recirculating sea water system that uses the bottom sediment as the
controlled sample. Hydrocarbon, oxygen, or other materials may be used to
spike the recirculating sea water or bottom sediment. Several instrumentation
ports have been provided to allow monitoring of the internal system chemistry.
The self-contained power pack is pressure compensated with gaseous carbon
dioxide, providing a non-explosive atmosphere within the battery box compartment
as well as the pump drive motor package. A five day, on-the-bottom, operational
test indicated that the battery system would provide sufficient reserve power
to operate the device for an extrapolated minimum of 10 days without serious
degradation of the internal water flow within the system.
On completion of the bottom program, the mud grab doors are pneumatically
closed, retaining the sea water and sediment sample as a complete ecological
test system that can be returned to the surface for additional evaluation.
Description:
Prepared For :
U.S. Department of Energy
Division of Biomedical and Environmental Programs
Contract: EE-77-S-02-4256
and
U.S. Department of Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Interagency Agreement: IA 7-20
Keywords:
Hydrocarbons
;
Marine sediments
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Technical Report
Permalink
