Sodium hexametaphosphate as an aid in benthic sample sorting |
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Authors: | RN Bamber |
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Institution: | Central Electricity Research Laboratories, Marine Biological Laboratory, Fawley Power Station, Fawley, Southampton, Hants, Great Britain |
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Abstract: | The efficacy of sodium hexametaphosphate, when added to a formalin-Rose Bengal fixative solution, in improving the efficiency of benthic sample sorting by encouraging the disaggregation of silt-clay sediment has been investigated. Samples of estuarine mud (Mdφ = 6·1) from Damhead Creek, River Medway, were used for the analysis. A significant increase (23%; p < 0·01) in sieving efficiency was found in samples treated with concentrations of 1·24g/litre or more of sodium hexametaphosphate; treatments with higher concentrations than 1·24g/litre did not improve on this performance significantly. The use of 1·24g/litre sodium hexametaphosphate in an initial fixative/preservative solution is recommended as an economic and practical means of improving the efficiency of benthic sample sorting, without deleterious effects on the animal specimens in the sample. |
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