wAbstract
@In the view of accepted ideas about the preservation of nitrite
in freshwater, this short note presents experiments questioning
standard laboratories procedures and tries to be a caveat to experimenters
looking for sole total nitrite values more than for total nitrate
plus nitrite concentrations. To validate an adequate preservation
technique for nitrite, we realized a series of three experiments
investigating the effect of filtration, freezing and ageing on
initial nitrite concentrations found in freshwater samples collected
in an agricultural watershed. Experiment results demonstrate no
adsorption or dilution of NO2-
concentrations during filtration. Nonetheless, we recommend using
filtration only when sample turbidity is visible at the eye to
avoid any contamination with laboratory materials during manipulations.
Furthermore, results also indicate that freezing samples induces
a significant decrease of NO2-
concentrations whereas the long term storage at 4 of samples
induces a smaller variability on nitrite concentrations. In consequence,
we forbid the use of freezing as a preservation technique for
nitrite analysis from freshwater samples and rather recommend
storage of samples at 4 for a period of 48 h.
Keywords: Nitrite; Preservation; Freshwater; Freezing; Filtration;
Storagex
1. Introduction
2. Materials and methods
@2.1. Samples collection and laboratory analyses
@2.2. Impact of filtration on nitrite
@2.3. Impact of freezing on nitrite preservation
@2.4. Impact of nitrite preservation in samples stored at 4
3. Results
@3.1. Impact of sample filtration on nitrite
@3.2. Impact of sample freezing on nitrite preservation
@3.3. Impact of nitrite preservation in samples stored at 4
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion
Acknowledgment
References