A high-pressure serial sampler to measure microbial activity in the deep sea

A high-pressure serial sampler (HPSS) has been developed to obtain microbial activity data unbiased by decompression during retrieval with the same frequency as used for the measurement of other hydrological parameters. We fitted a commercially available multisampling device with eight pressure-retaining vessels. This device allows the collection of eight 500 ml samples of undecompressed water during the same hydrocast to a depth of 3500 m. The HPSS includes a CTD; therefore the eight sampling depths can be selected using the conventional hydrological parameters. During the retrieval and the incubation period pressure conditions of each sampler are permanently recorded on the surface computer. Incubation is in a temperature-controlled water bath to keep the samples in the natural temperature conditions. During the incubation period, several sub-samples may be successively collected without pressure loss within the culture vessel, allowing time-course experiments. During a stratified period, comparison of microbial production rates simultaneously measured on the decompressed and undecompressed seawater samples collected between 850 and 2000 m depth showed that the deep-sea bacteria were affected by decompression during retrieval.