http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset/988716
eng; USA
utf8
dataset
Highest level of data collection, from a common set of sensors or instrumentation, usually within the same research project
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
pointOfContact
2025-11-12
ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data
ISO 19115-2:2009(E)
Seawater radioisotope (234Th) and carbon from sampling conducted at the Compass Station in Bedford Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada from 2021 to 2024
2026-01-28
publication
2026-01-28
revision
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO)
2026-04-02
publication
https://doi.org/10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.988716.1
Madeline Healey
Dalhousie University
principalInvestigator
Stephanie S. Kienast
Dalhousie University
principalInvestigator
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
publisher
Cite this dataset as: Healey, M., Kienast, S. S. (2026) Seawater radioisotope (234Th) and carbon from sampling conducted at the Compass Station in Bedford Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada from 2021 to 2024. Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO). (Version 1) Version Date 2026-01-28 [if applicable, indicate subset used]. doi:10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.988716.1 [access date]
Bedford Basin 2021-2024 Seawater 234Th Dataset Description: <p>This dataset has been published "as is". Final review by the data submitter was not received after the data were imported into the BCO-DMO data system.</p> Methods and Sampling: <p>Samples were collected at&nbsp;Compass Station in the Bedford Basin, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (44.7 N, -63.6 W) on day-trips aboard Connor's Diving Ltd, vessel EASTCOM in April 2021, August 2021, January 2022, May 2023, August 2023, and January 2024.</p>
<p><strong>Total 234Th in the water column:</strong><br />
Total (dissolved + particulate) 234Th was measured six times at the Compass Station between 2021and 2024. Water column samples were collected using 10 liter (L) Niskin bottles at 9 discrete depths. From each bottle, a 2 L subsample of unfiltered seawater was taken, spiked with a 230Th yield tracer, and processed according to the MnO2 co-precipitation technique (Pike et al., 2005). Following co-precipitation, samples were filtered onto quartz fiber filters (QMA, 25 millimeters (mm) diameter, 1 micrometer (μm) nominal pore) following Cai et al. (2006). After filtration, filters were dried (55 degrees Celsius (°C)), mounted on sample holders, covered with Mylar film (1 layer) and aluminium foil (2 layers), and their beta emissions were measured on low-level beta GM multi-counters (Risø National Laboratory, Denmark). Samples were counted until the error was typically &lt; 3 %. After &gt;120 days from collection (i.e., after 5-6 half-lives of 234Th had passed), samples were recounted to determine the non-234Th beta activity stemming from other radionuclides included in the precipitate, which was subtracted from the first count. After final counting was completed, the chemical recovery of 230Th was determined by a Thermo Scientific iCAP quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as outlined in Clevenger et al. (2021), yielding a mean recovery of 85 ± 12 % (n = 63). The net counting rate was corrected for 234Th decay and ingrowth, counting efficiency, and chemical recovery. The uncertainties in the total 234Th activities are determined from counting statistics and the propagation of errors in relation to sample processing, including mass and volume measurements, and ICP-MS recovery analysis. The parent 238U activity is derived from salinity following the relationship given by Owens et al. (2011).</p>
<p><strong>Size fractionated particulate 234Th and POC activities in water column:</strong><br />
Size fractionated particulate 234Th samples (234Thp) were collected by in-situ pumping of ~ 30 L at 3 depths (~20, 40, 60 m) using WTS-LV large volume pumps (McLane Laboratories). Filter heads were equipped with a 51 µm pore size Nitex filter above a 1 µm pore size QMA filter (pre-combusted). The large particle material (&gt; 51 µm) captured on the Nitex screens was carefully rinsed onto QMA filters (1 µm pore size, 25 mm diameter, pre-combusted) using 0.2 µm filtered and ultraviolet (UV) treated seawater. The small particulate material (1–51) captured on the QMA filter was subsampled by cutting out a 25 mm diameter punch. After drying (55 °C) all particulate samples were mounted onto sample holders and analyzed on beta counters (see above). Following the second counting, particulate samples were prepared for POC measurement by fumigation under HCl vapor for 6 hours inside a glass desiccator to remove the carbonate phase. Samples were dried at 50 °C and packed into tin cups and then measured on an Elemental Analyzer (Elementar MicroCube &amp; Isoprime 100).</p>
Funding provided by National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Award Number: 2018-05607 Award URL: https://nserc-crsng.canada.ca/en/awards-database/713748
completed
Madeline Healey
Dalhousie University
mhealey@dal.ca
pointOfContact
Stephanie S. Kienast
Dalhousie University
Stephanie.Kienast@dal.ca
pointOfContact
asNeeded
Dataset Version: 1
Unknown
Sampling_Date
Latitude
Longitude
Depth
Th_234_T_CONC
Unc_Th_234_T_CONC
U_238_CONC
Unc_U_238_CONC
Part_Th_CONC
Unc_Part_Th_CONC
Large_POC
Unc_Large_POC
Small_POC
Unc_Small_POC
McLane Research Laboratories WTS-LV (Large Volume Water Transfer System)
Niskin Bottles
Risø GM-25-5 Low-Level Anti-Coincidence Beta Counter (DTU Nutech)
Sea-Bird SBE 19plus V2 SEACAT CTD
Thermo Scientific iCAP Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)
theme
None, User defined
date
latitude
longitude
depth
thorium-234 activity
U238_in_sw
particulate organic Carbon (POC)
featureType
BCO-DMO Standard Parameters
McLane Large Volume Pumping System WTS-LV
Niskin bottle
Riso Laboratory Anti-coincidence Beta Counter
Sea-Bird SBE 19plus V2 SEACAT CTD
Thermo Fisher Scientific iCAP TQ inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
instrument
BCO-DMO Standard Instruments
otherRestrictions
otherRestrictions
Access Constraints: none. Use Constraints: Please follow guidelines at: http://www.bco-dmo.org/terms-use Distribution liability: Under no circumstances shall BCO-DMO be liable for any direct, incidental, special, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the materials in this data submission. If you are dissatisfied with any materials in this data submission your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue use.
Ocean Frontier Institute Seed Fund Grant: Bedford Basin 2019
https://osprey.bco-dmo.org/project/889453
Ocean Frontier Institute Seed Fund Grant: Bedford Basin 2019
<p>In coastal regions, the transport of carbon from surface waters to the seafloor is a key mechanism of carbon burial and it has been suggested that one-fifth of the carbon entering coastal areas off of eastern North America (from the atmosphere and through rivers) is subsequently buried in these coastal areas (Najjar et al., 2018). However, direct measurements coupling carbon fluxes in coastal waters to accumulation in sediment remains a challenge.</p>
<p>Bedford Basin is a well-studied coastal system in Nova Scotia, Canada (<a href="https://www.bio.gc.ca/science/monitoring-monitorage/bbmp-pobb/bbmp-pobb-en.php" target="_blank">Bedford Basin Monitoring Program</a>) that can provide unique insight into carbon cycling in these shallow marine regions. To quantify sinking particulate carbon and benthic-pelagic carbon cycling, and to examine the potential factors influencing coastal carbon budgets, carbon content and radioisotope (i.e., Thorium-234) measurements were collected at the Compass Station in Bedford Basin at four time periods (February to August 2019). Sediment cores and seawater samples were analyzed. Size fractionated filtration was performed to examine differences in 'sinking' (>51 micrometers) and 'suspended' (1-51 micrometers) particulate organic carbon and Thorium-234.</p>
<p>References Cited:<br />
Najjar, R. G., et al. (2018). Carbon Budget of Tidal Wetlands, Estuaries, and Shelf Waters of Eastern North America. In Global Biogeochemical Cycles (Vol. 32, Issue 3, pp. 389–416). American Geophysical Union (AGU). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2017gb005790" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1002/2017gb005790</a></p>
Bedford Basin 2019
largerWorkCitation
project
eng; USA
oceans
-63.642
-63.642
44.692
44.692
2021-04-01
2024-01-29
Compass Station in Bedford Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada
0
BCO-DMO catalogue of parameters from Seawater radioisotope (234Th) and carbon from sampling conducted at the Compass Station in Bedford Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada from 2021 to 2024
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
pointOfContact
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993049.rdf
Name: Sampling_Date
Units: unitless
Description: <p>date (UTC) that seawater samples were collected</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993050.rdf
Name: Latitude
Units: decimal degrees
Description: <p>latitude where samples were collected</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993051.rdf
Name: Longitude
Units: decimal degrees
Description: <p>longitude where samples were collected</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993052.rdf
Name: Depth
Units: meters (m)
Description: <p>depth in the water column where seawater was collected</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993053.rdf
Name: Th_234_T_CONC
Units: decays per minute per liter
Description: <p>activity of 234Th </p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993054.rdf
Name: Unc_Th_234_T_CONC
Units: decays per minute per liter
Description: <p>uncertainty of activity of 234Th</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993055.rdf
Name: U_238_CONC
Units: decays per minute per liter
Description: <p>activity of 238U</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993056.rdf
Name: Unc_U_238_CONC
Units: decays per minute per liter
Description: <p>uncertainty of activity of 238U</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993057.rdf
Name: Part_Th_CONC
Units: decays per minute per liter
Description: <p>activity of particulate 234Th (sum of large and small particle 234Th activity)</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993058.rdf
Name: Unc_Part_Th_CONC
Units: decays per minute per liter
Description: <p>uncertainty of activity of particulate 234Th (sum of large and small particle 234Th activity)</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993059.rdf
Name: Large_POC
Units: micromoles carbon per liter
Description: <p>particulate organic carbon concentration of large particles</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993060.rdf
Name: Unc_Large_POC
Units: micromoles carbon per liter
Description: <p>uncertainty of particulate organic carbon concentration of large particles</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993061.rdf
Name: Small_POC
Units: micromoles carbon per liter
Description: <p>particulate organic carbon concentration of small particles</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/993062.rdf
Name: Unc_Small_POC
Units: micromoles carbon per liter
Description: <p>uncertainty of particulate organic carbon concentration of small particles</p>
GB/NERC/BODC > British Oceanographic Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
pointOfContact
https://doi.org/10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.988716.1
download
onLine
dataset
<p>Samples were collected at&nbsp;Compass Station in the Bedford Basin, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (44.7 N, -63.6 W) on day-trips aboard Connor's Diving Ltd, vessel EASTCOM in April 2021, August 2021, January 2022, May 2023, August 2023, and January 2024.</p>
<p><strong>Total 234Th in the water column:</strong><br />
Total (dissolved + particulate) 234Th was measured six times at the Compass Station between 2021and 2024. Water column samples were collected using 10 liter (L) Niskin bottles at 9 discrete depths. From each bottle, a 2 L subsample of unfiltered seawater was taken, spiked with a 230Th yield tracer, and processed according to the MnO2 co-precipitation technique (Pike et al., 2005). Following co-precipitation, samples were filtered onto quartz fiber filters (QMA, 25 millimeters (mm) diameter, 1 micrometer (μm) nominal pore) following Cai et al. (2006). After filtration, filters were dried (55 degrees Celsius (°C)), mounted on sample holders, covered with Mylar film (1 layer) and aluminium foil (2 layers), and their beta emissions were measured on low-level beta GM multi-counters (Risø National Laboratory, Denmark). Samples were counted until the error was typically &lt; 3 %. After &gt;120 days from collection (i.e., after 5-6 half-lives of 234Th had passed), samples were recounted to determine the non-234Th beta activity stemming from other radionuclides included in the precipitate, which was subtracted from the first count. After final counting was completed, the chemical recovery of 230Th was determined by a Thermo Scientific iCAP quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as outlined in Clevenger et al. (2021), yielding a mean recovery of 85 ± 12 % (n = 63). The net counting rate was corrected for 234Th decay and ingrowth, counting efficiency, and chemical recovery. The uncertainties in the total 234Th activities are determined from counting statistics and the propagation of errors in relation to sample processing, including mass and volume measurements, and ICP-MS recovery analysis. The parent 238U activity is derived from salinity following the relationship given by Owens et al. (2011).</p>
<p><strong>Size fractionated particulate 234Th and POC activities in water column:</strong><br />
Size fractionated particulate 234Th samples (234Thp) were collected by in-situ pumping of ~ 30 L at 3 depths (~20, 40, 60 m) using WTS-LV large volume pumps (McLane Laboratories). Filter heads were equipped with a 51 µm pore size Nitex filter above a 1 µm pore size QMA filter (pre-combusted). The large particle material (&gt; 51 µm) captured on the Nitex screens was carefully rinsed onto QMA filters (1 µm pore size, 25 mm diameter, pre-combusted) using 0.2 µm filtered and ultraviolet (UV) treated seawater. The small particulate material (1–51) captured on the QMA filter was subsampled by cutting out a 25 mm diameter punch. After drying (55 °C) all particulate samples were mounted onto sample holders and analyzed on beta counters (see above). Following the second counting, particulate samples were prepared for POC measurement by fumigation under HCl vapor for 6 hours inside a glass desiccator to remove the carbonate phase. Samples were dried at 50 °C and packed into tin cups and then measured on an Elemental Analyzer (Elementar MicroCube &amp; Isoprime 100).</p>
Specified by the Principal Investigator(s)
- Imported original file "BB_2021_2024_Seawater.csv" into the BCO-DMO system.
- Flagged "NaN" as a missing data value (missing data are empty/blank in the final CSV file).
- Converted date format to YYYY-MM.
- Saved the final file as "988716_v1_bedford_basin_seawater_th_2021-2024.csv".
- This dataset has been published "as is". Final review by the data submitter was not received after the data were imported into the BCO-DMO data system.
Specified by BCO-DMO Data Managers
asNeeded
7.x-1.1
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
pointOfContact
McLane Research Laboratories WTS-LV (Large Volume Water Transfer System)
McLane Research Laboratories WTS-LV (Large Volume Water Transfer System)
PI Supplied Instrument Name: McLane Research Laboratories WTS-LV (Large Volume Water Transfer System) Instrument Name: McLane Large Volume Pumping System WTS-LV Instrument Short Name:WTS-LV Instrument Description: The WTS-LV is a Water Transfer System (WTS) Large Volume (LV) pumping instrument designed and manufactured by McLane Research Labs (Falmouth, MA, USA). It is a large-volume, single-event sampler that collects suspended and dissolved particulate samples in situ.
Ambient water is drawn through a modular filter holder onto a 142-millimeter (mm) membrane without passing through the pump. The standard two-tier filter holder provides prefiltering and size fractioning. Collection targets include chlorophyll maximum, particulate trace metals, and phytoplankton. It features different flow rates and filter porosity to support a range of specimen collection. Sampling can be programmed to start at a scheduled time or begin with a countdown delay. It also features a dynamic pump speed algorithm that adjusts flow to protect the sample as material accumulates on the filter. Several pump options range from 0.5 to 30 liters per minute, with a max volume of 2,500 to 36,000 liters depending on the pump and battery pack used. The standard model is depth rated to 5,500 meters, with a deeper 7,000-meter option available. The operating temperature is -4 to 35 degrees Celsius.
The WTS-LV is available in four different configurations: Standard, Upright, Bore Hole, and Dual Filter Sampler. The high-capacity upright WTS-LV model provides three times the battery life of the standard model. The Bore-Hole WTS-LV is designed to fit through a narrow opening such as a 30-centimeter borehole. The dual filter WTS-LV features two vertical intake 142 mm filter holders to allow simultaneous filtering using two different porosities.
Niskin Bottles
Niskin Bottles
PI Supplied Instrument Name: Niskin Bottles PI Supplied Instrument Description:10 L, General Oceanics, Model 1010 Instrument Name: Niskin bottle Instrument Short Name:Niskin bottle Instrument Description: A Niskin bottle (a next generation water sampler based on the Nansen bottle) is a cylindrical, non-metallic water collection device with stoppers at both ends. The bottles can be attached individually on a hydrowire or deployed in 12, 24, or 36 bottle Rosette systems mounted on a frame and combined with a CTD. Niskin bottles are used to collect discrete water samples for a range of measurements including pigments, nutrients, plankton, etc. Community Standard Description: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L22/current/TOOL0412/
Risø GM-25-5 Low-Level Anti-Coincidence Beta Counter (DTU Nutech)
Risø GM-25-5 Low-Level Anti-Coincidence Beta Counter (DTU Nutech)
PI Supplied Instrument Name: Risø GM-25-5 Low-Level Anti-Coincidence Beta Counter (DTU Nutech) Instrument Name: Riso Laboratory Anti-coincidence Beta Counter Instrument Short Name:Riso Beta Counter Instrument Description: Low-level beta detectors manufactured by Riso (now Nutech) in Denmark. These instruments accept samples that can be mounted on a 25mm filter holder. These detectors have very low backgrounds, 0.17 counts per minute, and can have counting efficiencies as high as 55%.
Typically used in laboratory analyses. Designed to measure low levels of beta particle emission. The systems work on the principle of anticoincidence.
Sea-Bird SBE 19plus V2 SEACAT CTD
Sea-Bird SBE 19plus V2 SEACAT CTD
PI Supplied Instrument Name: Sea-Bird SBE 19plus V2 SEACAT CTD PI Supplied Instrument Description:Sea-Bird Scientific SBE 19plus V2 SeaCAT, with SBE 43 Dissolved Oxygen Sensor and WET Labs ECO Fluorometer Instrument Name: Sea-Bird SBE 19plus V2 SEACAT CTD Instrument Short Name:Sea-Bird SEACAT 19 Plus V2 Instrument Description: Self-contained self-powered CTD profiler. Measures conductivity, temperature and pressure (Digiquartz sensor) in both profiling (samples at 4 scans/sec) and moored (sample rates of once every 5 seconds to once every 9 hours) mode. Available in plastic or titanium housing with depth ranges of 600m and 7000m respectively. Miniature submersible pump provides water to the conductivity cell. Compared to the previous 19plus, the V2 incorporates an electronics upgrade and additional features, with six differentially amplified A/D input channels, one RS-232 data input channel, and 64 MB FLASH memory.
Thermo Scientific iCAP Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)
Thermo Scientific iCAP Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)
PI Supplied Instrument Name: Thermo Scientific iCAP Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) Instrument Name: Thermo Fisher Scientific iCAP TQ inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer Instrument Short Name:iCAP TQ ICP-MS Instrument Description: A benchtop triple quadrupole (TQ) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) with a four channel peristaltic pump, three plasma gas flow controllers, and four QCell mass flow controllers. The iCAP TQ utilises triple quadrupole technology which allows the analyte signal to be isolated from interferences, enabling the analysis of complex or high-matrix samples. The high frequency (4 MHz) quadrupole mass analyser has pre and post filters for isolation of wanted ions. The instrument features Peltier cooled high purity quartz or perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), and low volume, baffled cyclonic or double pass spray chambers to efficiently filter out larger aerosol droplets for improved plasma stability. A reaction finder method development assistant aids easy method development. The plasma system is designed to rapidly adapt to changing matrices and provide robustness for challenging samples such as highly volatile organic solvents. The argon ICP ion source has a digital, solid state radiofrequency generator, and dynamic frequency impedance matching the plasma at 27 MHz. The iCAP TQ has applications in trace element analysis of solid or liquid (particularly sediment or sea water) samples. It has a nebuliser default flow rate of 400 uL/min.