YSI 9600 - Manual (Page 13)

deployment, such as study name, sample interval, and the frequency of auto calibration, into a “Wizard”
based interface, with this portion of the set-up taking a minute or less. The Wizard then guides the user
through a predeployment pumping routine which takes approximately 60 minutes to assure that the
instrument is functioning properly and provides error messages if any problem is apparent. After a
successful predeployment test, the user simply starts the deployment and transports the 9600 to the desired
site for deployment. The study can either be started immediately during laboratory set-up of the nitrate
monitor, or delayed by several hours to allow the study to start after deployment. The key is that the
default FIA sequence for the pumps is ideal for the monitoring of nitrate, and no user “programming” of the
9600 hardware is required.
During deployments, a blank (purified water) and a standard (made up to a concentration that matches the
typical nitrate values at a particular site) are automatically run at an interval selected by the user. Use of
these periodic blank and standard reagents allows the instrument software to automatically compensate the
data for any instrument drift during deployment and provides an on-board quality assurance methodology.
For most deployments, it will be sufficient to run a blank and standard twice during each 24 hour logging
period. For sample intervals of 30 minutes and greater (typical for most deployments), the calibration
reagents are run through the system between samples so that no discontinuity occurs in the logged data.
The overall length of a deployment is generally limited by a combination of the quantity of reagents present
in the instrument assembly at the beginning of the study and the sample interval chosen by the user. For
example, the reagents will be expended in approximately 30 days if an interval of 1 hour is chosen between
samples, but approximately 60 days if the interval is set to 2 hours.
While most studies will be carried out using the pumping sequence (number of pumping pulses for each
particular pump at a specified time in the overall routine) for “typical” nitrate-N concentrations in the 0-5
mg/L range, NUview software also allows users who are monitoring water with very high nitrate
concentrations (5-10 mg/L) to select a special pumping sequence to enhance their accuracy.
You now should have a basic understanding of the capabilities of the YSI 9600 and be ready to proceed to
the next section where you will prepare reagents for use in the deployment of the nitrate monitor.
2.3 PREPARING THE REAGENTS
Four different reagent solutions and distilled or deionized water are required for the use of the Model 9600
nitrate monitor. In this section, you will be given instructions on how to prepare these reagents. In
addition, the 9600 utilizes a column of elemental cadmium which must be “activated” prior to use and
instructions for this procedure are also provided.
CAUTION: All chemicals are potentially harmful and should be handled with care. Be sure to
consult the MSDS for each of the chemicals before preparing any of the reagent solutions. It is very
important to wear appropriate protective equipment including safety glasses with side shields and
use disposable gloves when handling solid chemicals and when preparing and transferring solutions
of these chemicals.
2.3.1 PURCHASING THE REAGENTS
The sources used for the various reagents that have been used in YSI development studies on the 9600 are
provided below. However, users can purchase reagents from any source of their choosing as long as the
chemicals are (a) identical in formulation and (b) equivalent in purity – ACS Reagent Grade or better. An
appropriate quantity of the reagents should be purchased based on the frequency of deployment of your
9600.
YSI Environmental 13 Model 9600 Nitrate Monitor