Application of a new automatic event-controlled sampler for heavy metals: studies on the behaviour of particle bound heavy metals in the Elbe estuary Original Research Article

An automatic, remote-controlled sampling system for heavy metals (AISIT, automatic intelligent sampler for inorganic trace constituents) is presented and its functionality described. In order to characterize the automatic sampler (referring to cleanness/contamination) comparison to manual sampling methods was performed in several campaigns. Results of comparative samples from the German Bight as well as from the buoy META I near Brunsbüttel in the Elbe estuary are discussed. The automatic sampler allows event-triggered sampling, i.e. collecting water samples in dependence on measurement parameters (turbidity, conductivity, etc.). The functionality of automatic, event-controlled sampling within the MERMAID system is described. Time series of event-triggered samples are presented and interpreted.