Miniature flow injection analyser for laboratory, shipboard and in situ monitoring of nitrate in estuarine and coastal waters

A miniature, submersible flow injection analyser, with solid-state spectrophotometric detection, for the in situ determination of nitrate is described. It utilises the standard laboratory chemistry of cadmium reduction followed by diazotisation. The detection limit was 2.8 μg l⁻¹ N and the linear range could be varied from 2.8 to 100 μg l⁻¹ N up to 100–2000 μg l⁻¹ N to suit local environmental conditions. The versatility of the instrument is demonstrated by results from laboratory, shipboard (North Sea IMPACT Cruise) and in situ (Tamar Estuary, UK) deployments. They show the excellent temporal and spatial resolution that can be achieved for studying dynamic processes in estuarine and coastal waters. The results acquired during the IMPACT Cruise map the transport of nitrate from the Humber Estuary into the North Sea and show that nitrate uptake was more pronounced in areas of shallow and clear waters (Dogger Bank) than in the coastal mixing zone with higher suspended solids. A key feature of the analyser is its portability and ease of deployment due to the small size and weight and low buoyancy. Accuracy was assessed by participation in an international intercomparison exercise and the results were within the assigned tolerance interval of the consensus mean (Z<2).