Containerised ultra‑clean CTD system for NCPOR
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Every water sample carries a story about the isotopes and trace elements, ocean chemistry and the changing dynamics of the marine environment. How do you capture these stories without interference?
For trace-metal research in the waters surrounding India, where local conditions can change from season to season and contamination control defines data quality, the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) India required a system engineered specifically for ultra-clean GEOTRACES-level operations.
Their containerised Sea-Bird Scientific and MacArtney system – a 40 ft clean lab and a CTD storage/handling unit – keeps the entire sampling workflow under controlled conditions from deployment to recovery.
Mikkel Sørensen - Sales Director - Ocean Science:
The winch, cable, and instruments move through a sequence designed to protect sample integrity, including a freshwater flushing routine that removes salt and metal traces from the cable before it returns to the drum, while the paired clean lab and handling containers give the team a stable environment to prepare instruments and process samples consistently. The result is a clean, repeatable cast cycle that remains reliable despite changing weather and sea state.
At the core is a Sea‑Bird Scientific SBE 32 Geotraces carousel fitted with 24 C‑free 12L OTE bottles, paired with a Sea‑Bird Scientific 911plus CTD equipped with dual‑sensor configurations for high‑accuracy profiles. The sensor suite includes SBE 18 pH, SBE 43 dissolved oxygen, turbidity, fluorescence, and PAR, backed by a SeaRAM memory module and an AutoFire Module to ensure precise, contamination-free bottle firing at depth.
The system integrates a MERMAC C winch and an 8,000 m clean Kevlar cable designed to protect sample integrity throughout the deployment cycle.
Steen Frejo - Regional Director - Middle East, India & Denmark:
This solution is delivered as a turnkey package so the team can focus fully on the science. The project includes engineering, FAT, commissioning and on‑site training to ensure the setup is ready for fieldwork from day one.
The project also highlights MacArtney’s close cooperation with Sea‑Bird Scientific and our ability to deliver tailored Sea‑Bird Scientific systems to projects worldwide.
The final solution reflects a long-term dialogue and multiple design iterations with NCPOR’s scientific team, aligning the system with the practical realities of water sampling and providing a clear path to robust trace‑metal datasets suitable for long‑term comparison and scientific reporting.
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