ACT pH Sensor Verification Protocols, PV12-01
3
Protocols for the ACT Performance Verification of In Situ pH Sensors
1.
Background on ACT Technology Evaluations
ACT has initiated a Performance Verification of commercially available in situ pH
sensors for four reasons: 1) an increasing awareness of the need to monitor pH to assess ocean
acidification and changes in the carbon chemistry speciation in coastal and estuarine ecosystems;
2)
development of instrument packages to help in the maintenance and enforcement of water
quality standards, 3) pH sensors and sensor packages are already available but vary in
performance (see ACT workshop,
In-situ measurement of dissolved inorganic carbon speciation
in natural waters: pH, pCO
2
,
TA and TCO
2
,
Honolulu Hawaii, February 2005); 4) verification
testing of these instruments is feasible within a reasonable timeframe with existing ACT
capabilities and funding.
These test protocols delineate how ACT will evaluate the performance characteristics of
in situ
pH sensors through the collection and analysis of quality-assured environmental data.
The goal of ACT’s verification program is to provide industry with an opportunity to have a
third-party (ACT) test their instruments in the field and under controlled laboratory settings, and
to provide users of this technology with an independent and credible assessment of instrument
performance. ACT will also use this opportunity to promote this emerging technology to the
scientific and management communities. The instrument performance characteristics examined
in the verification reflect the needs of the broader research and management communities.
ACT does not certify technologies, nor guarantee that technologies will always operate at
the verified standards, especially under conditions other than those used in testing; ACT does not
seek to determine regulatory compliance; does not rank technologies, nor directly compare
performance between specific instruments; ACT does not label, nor list technologies as
“
acceptable” or “unacceptable;” and does not seek to determine “best available technology” in
any way. ACT will avoid all potential language that implies “winners or losers”. Thus, although
the following protocols will be used to test all instruments tested in this program, there will be no
direct comparisons of instruments. After the tests are complete, Instrument Performance
Verification Statements for each instrument will be released to the public.
2.
Technical Advisory Committee
These
Protocols for the Performance Verification of in situ pH Sensors
were developed
under the guidance of our external Technical Advisory Committee and in collaboration with
accepted applicants and ACT staff. The members of the Technical Advisory Committee are as
follows:
Dr. Robert Byrne, University of South Florida
Dr. Andrew Dickson (Chair), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
Dr. Burke Hales, Oregon State University
Mr. Scott McLean, Oceans Networks Canada, University of Victoria
Dr. Kenneth Pratt, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Dr. Chris Sabine, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
Dr. Simone Alin, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
Dr. Rik Wanninkhof, NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
