A remotely operated airboat for metal-free, ultraclean water sampling for trace elements in lentic waterbodies: from design and fabrication to operation in the field.

ABSTRACT: The mitigation of contamination during water sampling remains one of the primary challenges for trace elements research. In shallow water bodies, it is especially important to avoid disturbing the sediments to avoid the introduction of particles and colloids containing trace elements to the water column. Traditional sampling protocols can stir up sediments, and conventional equipment containing metal alloys presents additional sample contamination risks. Here we describe the design, construction, and testing of a metal-free unmanned, remotely operated airboat for sampling lentic freshwater habitats. The SWAMP airboat consists of two pontoons that support a water sampler containing four winches to lower and raise 60 mL bottles to sample from desired depths. The airboat is driven by two moto

SUBMITTER: Noernberg T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12720301 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature