In situ measurement of pH and dissolved H2 in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal fluids at elevated temperatures and pressures

Battery-free temperature logger for deep-sea hydrothermal fluids based on heat pipe heat exchangers and thermoelectric generators

Long-term in situ measurements of the temperature of hydrothermal fluids have great significance in the research of seafloor hydrothermal activities. Herein, we developed a self-powered battery-free temperature logger for measuring and recording the temperature of hydrothermal fluids. A gravity heat pipe made of titanium alloy was employed as the heat-conducting element of the temperature logger to capture heat from a hydrothermal vent and transfer it to the thermoelectric unit. The thermoelectric generator used herein converted the temperature difference into electrical energy to power the circuit of the temperature logger. Numerical analyses and experiments were performed to investigate the performance of the heat pipe and temperature logger. Results show that the temperature logger can realize self-powered starting at a temperature of >76 °C during a tank test. This paper presents a discussion on a new instrument for temperature measurements of deep-sea hydrothermal fluids.

Underwater In Situ Dissolved Gas Detection Based on Multi-Reflection Raman Spectroscopy

The detection of dissolved gases in seawater plays an important role in oceanic observations and exploration. As a potential technique for oceanic applications, Raman spectroscopy has been successfully applied in hydrothermal vents and cold seep fluids, but it has not yet been used in common seawater due to the technique's lower sensitivity. In this work, we present a highly sensitive underwater in situ Raman spectroscopy system for dissolved gas detection in common seawater. Considering the difficulty of underwater degassing and in situ detection, we designed a near-concentric cavity to improve the sensitivity, with a miniature gas sample chamber featuring an inner volume of 1 mL placed inside the cavity to reach equilibrium in a short period of time. According to the 3σ criteria, the detection limits of this system for CO2, O2, and H2 were calculated to be 72.8, 44.0, and 27.7 ppm, respectively. Using a hollow fiber membrane degasser with a large surface area, the CO2 signal was found to be clearly visible in 30 s at a flow rate of 550 mL/min. Moreover, we deployed the system in Qingdao's offshore seawater, and the field test showed that this system is capable of successfully detecting in situ the multiple gases dissolved in the seawater simultaneously.

Size speciation of dissolved trace metals in hydrothermal plumes on the Southwest Indian Ridge

Determining the size speciation and chemical transformation of trace metals is of paramount in order to better assess the impact of hydrothermal activities on the ocean metal budgets. In this study, we examined the concentration and size speciation of dissolved trace metals (i.e. Mn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Mo, As, Pb, Cd) in the hydrothermal plumes of two vent fields (i.e. Longqi and Tiancheng) on the Southwest Indian Ridge. The majority of dissolved Mn (75-100%) in the buoyant and non-buoyant plumes were presented as soluble Mn (<1 kDa), while dissolved Fe in the buoyant plume contained considerable colloidal Fe (54-95%). More than 66% of hydrothermally dissolved Fe was removed in the buoyant plume within a short distance of dispersion. Except for the samples most proximal to the fluid source, concentrations of Cu, Ni and Mo in the plumes were comparable to those of the background seawater and independent of the plume dilution. Concentrations of dissolved As and Pb in the buoyant plume of the Tiancheng field were higher than those of the Longqi field, resulting from the scavenging of As in the Longqi field and the release of Pb from metal sulfide dissolution in the Tiancheng field. Concentrations of dissolved Cd in the non-buoyant plume were nearly identical to the background seawater and soluble Cd was dominant (75-92%) in the soluble phase. In contrast, 33-96% (or 0.024-0.085 μg/kg) of dissolved Cd was removed in the buoyant plume and the remaining dissolved Cd was mainly in colloidal phase (up to 96%), suggesting that hydrothermal plume was likely an important sink of oceanic Cd and colloidal ligands played an important role in the stabilization of hydrothermal Cd. Our study has demonstrated the very dynamic nature of trace metal speciation in hydrothermal vent fluids.

Iron and sulfide nanoparticle formation and transport in nascent hydrothermal vent plumes

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are a significant source of dissolved metals to the global oceans, producing midwater plumes enriched in metals that are transported thousands of kilometers from the vent source. Particle precipitation upon emission of hydrothermal fluids controls metal speciation and the magnitude of metal export. Here, we document metal sulfide particles, including pyrite nanoparticles, within the first meter of buoyant plumes from three high-temperature vents at the East Pacific Rise. We observe a zone of particle settling 10–20 cm from the orifice, indicated by stable sulfur isotopes; however, we also demonstrate that nanoparticulate pyrite (FeS₂) is not removed from the plume and can account for over half of the filtered Fe (≤0.2 µm) up to one meter from the vent orifice. The persistence of nanoparticulate pyrite demonstrates that it is an important mechanism for near-vent Fe stabilisation and highlights the potential role of nanoparticles in element transport.

There has been much interest recently in the transport mechanisms of metals from hydrothermal vents. Here the authors found that nanoparticulate pyrite is not removed from the plume and can account for over 50% of filtered iron one metre from the vent mouth.

A new flexible titanium foil cell for hydrothermal experiments and fluid sampling

This paper describes the design of a flexible titanium foil cell, as well as its applications in hydrothermal experiments and in non-contaminating storage of seafloor hydrothermal fluids. A flexible cell constructed totally from pure titanium (Grade 1) can be used in corrosive environment because of the excellent chemical stability and temperature tolerance of the material. Theoretical calculation and finite element analysis of the titanium foil cell have been conducted to identify its flexibility and deformation mode. Two applications, i.e., hydrothermal reaction and non-contaminating fluid sampling, were introduced subsequently. The flexible titanium foil cell was successfully tested at elevated temperature and pressure of up to 400 °C and 40 MPa, respectively, demonstrating that it could be widely used under supercritical water conditions.

Marine chemical technology and sensors for marine waters: potentials and limits

A significant need exists for in situ sensors that can measure chemical species involved in the major processes of primary production (photosynthesis and chemosynthesis) and respiration. Some key chemical species are O2, nutrients (N and P), micronutrients (metals), pCO2, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), pH, and sulfide. Sensors need to have excellent detection limits, precision, selectivity, response time, a large dynamic concentration range, low power consumption, robustness, and less variation of instrument response with temperature and pressure, as well as be free from fouling problems (biological, physical, and chemical). Here we review the principles of operation of most sensors used in marine waters. We also show that some sensors can be used in several different oceanic environments to detect the target chemical species, whereas others are useful in only one environment because of various limitations. Several sensors can be used truly in situ, whereas many others involve water brought into a flow cell via tubing to the analyzer in the environment or aboard ship. Multi-element sensors that measure many chemical species in the same water mass should be targeted for further development.

Abundances of hyperthermophilic autotrophic Fe(III) oxide reducers and heterotrophs in hydrothermal sulfide chimneys of the northeastern Pacific Ocean

The abundances of hyperthermophilic heterotrophs, methanogens, and autotrophic reducers of amorphous Fe(III) oxide in 18 samples of deep-sea hydrothermal vent sulfide chimneys of the Endeavour Segment were measured. The results indicate that conditions favor the growth of iron reducers toward the interiors of these deposits and that of heterotrophs toward the outer surfaces near high-temperature polychaete worms (Paralvinella sulfincola).

Formation of Zn- and Fe-sulfides near hydrothermal vents at the Eastern Lau Spreading Center: implications for sulfide bioavailability to chemoautotrophs

BACKGROUND

The speciation of dissolved sulfide in the water immediately surrounding deep-ocean hydrothermal vents is critical to chemoautotrophic organisms that are the primary producers of these ecosystems. The objective of this research was to identify the role of Zn and Fe for controlling the speciation of sulfide in the hydrothermal vent fields at the Eastern Lau Spreading Center (ELSC) in the southern Pacific Ocean. Compared to other well-studied hydrothermal systems in the Pacific, the ELSC is notable for unique ridge characteristics and gradients over short distances along the north-south ridge axis.

RESULTS

In June 2005, diffuse-flow (< 50 degrees C) and high-temperature (> 250 degrees C) vent fluids were collected from four field sites along the ELSC ridge axis. Total and filtered Zn and Fe concentrations were quantified in the vent fluid samples using voltammetric and spectrometric analyses. The results indicated north-to-south variability in vent fluid composition. In the high temperature vent fluids, the ratio of total Fe to total Zn varied from 39 at Kilo Moana, the most northern site, to less than 7 at the other three sites. The concentrations of total Zn, Fe, and acid-volatile sulfide indicated that oversaturation and precipitation of sphalerite (ZnS(s)) and pyrite (FeS2(s)) were possible during cooling of the vent fluids as they mixed with the surrounding seawater. In contrast, most samples were undersaturated with respect to mackinawite (FeS(s)). The reactivity of Zn(II) in the filtered samples was tested by adding Cu(II) to the samples to induce metal-exchange reactions. In a portion of the samples, the concentration of labile Zn2+ increased after the addition of Cu(II), indicating the presence of strongly-bound Zn(II) species such as ZnS clusters and nanoparticles.

CONCLUSION

Results of this study suggest that Zn is important to sulfide speciation at ELSC vent habitats, particularly at the southern sites where Zn concentrations increase relative to Fe. As the hydrothermal fluids mix with the ambient seawater, Zn-sulfide clusters and nanoparticles are likely preventing sulfide oxidation by O2 and reducing bioavailability of S(-II) to organisms.