Dr Christina McGraw, University of Otago
Advancing analytical chemistry within the UN Decade of Ocean Science
2021 marked the start of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development: The Science We Need for the Ocean We Want. Within this initiative, analytical chemists are working to achieve Sustainable Develop Goal (SDG) Target 14.3: Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification. Ocean acidification, which is caused by the absorption of CO2 by seawater, decreases the available carbonate and is expected to affect calcifying species, such as pāua, mussels, oysters, coral, coralline algae, and kina. However, the regional impacts of ocean acidification depend on localised changes to the shifting carbonate system of seawater. Thus, advanced analytical techniques are needed to understand thechanging carbonate system and support the increasing number of adaptation and mitigation initiatives. This talk will introduce recent ocean acidification sensors developed in my laboratory, including a saturation state sensor and pH sensors for microenvironments. In addition, New Zealand’s leadership role in addressing ocean acidification and the analytical gaps that limit our understanding of ocean acidification impacts will be discussed.
