A FAST, HIGH-PRECISION SPLITTER FOR PARTICLE SUSPENSIONS

Samples of disaggregated particles, collected from within the water column by means of sediment traps or from the seafloor by means of cores or grabs, often must be split into smaller but representative portions to facilitate analysis. We have designed and tested a simple, precise, and inexpensive sample splitter that uses air pressure to discharge a uniformly mixed particle suspension into two to six equal-sized subsamples. The coefficient of variation of particle concentrations in subsamples produced from sediment trap samples was less than 2%, and less than 4% in subsamples from a core. A sample can be split into six subsamples in less than three minutes. The splitter is fabricated from acrylic and teflon to allow acid cleaning when necessary, and the design isolates the sample to reduce the risk of contamination.