Aug 21, 2025
SOP: Hand pump filtration unit field sampling - SCCWRP Harmful Algal Bloom Response Standard Operating Procedures — Sampling for chlorophyll and algal toxins using hand pump and filtration unit
- Alle Lie1,
- Jayme Smith1
- 1SCCWRP
- Alle Lie @ SCCWRP
External link: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16921123
Protocol Citation: Alle Lie, Jayme Smith 2025. SOP: Hand pump filtration unit field sampling - SCCWRP Harmful Algal Bloom Response Standard Operating Procedures — Sampling for chlorophyll and algal toxins using hand pump and filtration unit. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.j8nlkyo7dg5r/v1
Manuscript citation:
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: August 21, 2025
Last Modified: August 21, 2025
Protocol Integer ID: 225201
Keywords: HAB, Sampling, Domoic acid, Chlorophyll, sccwrp harmful algal bloom response standard operating procedure, southern california coastal water research project hab team, harmful algal bloom, water sample, algal toxin, filtration unit standard operating procedure, chlorophyll, sampling partner, filtration unit field, sample, using hand pump, hand pump
Abstract
Standard operating procedures (SOP) for sampling for harmful algal bloom (HAB) water samples.
This SOP is created by the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project HAB team for our sampling partners. If you have any questions or interest to collaborate/sample for us, please reach out to our Principal Investigator Dr. Jayme Smith ([email protected]) or Research Coordinator Dr. Alle Lie ([email protected]).
Attachments
Materials
- Plastic bucket with line
- 1 L HDPE amber bottle (Or any bottle for collecting water sample)
- Cooler and ice packs
- Graduated cylinders
o 100 mL
o 250 mL
- Hand pump with tubing
o Thermo Scientific 6132-0010 (Nalgene Repairable Hand-Operated PVC Vacuum Pumps with Gauge 15 cc/stroke | Buy Online)
- Filtration unit with 47 mm filter holder
o Thermo Scientific 300-4050 (Nalgene Reusable Filter Units 250 mL | Buy Online | Thermo Scientific)
- 47 mm GF/F filters
o Sterlitech F4700 (Grade F Borosilicate Glass Microfiber, 47mm, 100/Pk)
o Cytiva 1825047 (Cytiva Whatman Binder-Free Glass Microfiber Filters GF/F Circles 47 mm | Buy Online | Cytiva | Fisher Scientific)
- Filter forceps
o MilliporeSigma XX6200006P (MilliporeSigma Filter Forceps Beveled, Unserrated | Buy Online | MilliporeSigma | Fisher Scientific)
- 5 mL plastic tube for storing filters
- Sharpie & Labels
- Aluminum foil
- Clean freshwater for cleaning between stations
Troubleshooting
Before start
Tutorial video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94uFFSWNcmE
Procedures
Collect sample from water surface using a bucket and line.
Toss bucket into water, pull up and swirl water around in bucket to rinse the bucket with sample water. Toss water back.
Repeat two more times to rinse bucket a total of three times.
Now that bucket is rinsed, toss again and collect a full bucket of water.
Rinse out the sample collection bottle with collected sample water three times.
Add a small amount of sample water (at least 20 mL) into the bottle.
Place the bottle lid back on and shake the sample water in the bottle vigorously for 10 seconds.
Repeat two more times.
Fill bottle to the brim with sample water. (Filling the bottle completely minimizes air bubbles that avoids sloshing and damage of cells during transport.)
Keep collected sample away from direct sunlight and cool (~4 °C) if transport is necessary.
Record latitude and longitude, date, and time of water collection on labels and on field sheet.
Set the filtration unit up
Make sure one of the hose barb sidearms on the filtrate receiver (bottom part of the filtration unit) is sealed with a stopper.
Connect the hand pump to the other hose barb sidearm with tubing adapter (or tubing directly if the adapter is not available).
Remove the sample funnel (top part of the filtration unit) off by unscrewing it from the filtrate receiver.
Make sure that there is an o-ring at the bottom part of the filter support and the bottom of the sample funnel.
Place one GF/F filter onto the filter support. Align it so it lies flat against the support base/ridges of the filter support.
Using the filter forceps, grasp only the edge of the filter. Avoid touching the center of the filter where the sample water will pass through.
Place the sample funnel back on the filtrate receiver, and screw it back on tightly to ensure water will not leak through.
Prepare labelled tubes for storing filters if they have not been prepared.
Place water sample into the sample funnel.
Mix the water in the sample collection bottle gently by doing a gentle figure-8 rotation (again, to avoid damaging cells prior to filtration).
Pour a small amount (10–20 mL) of sample water into the graduated cylinder to rinse it. Dump the rinse water.
Measure out the required amount of sample water using the graduated cylinder. (Ensure the bottom of the meniscus aligns with the desired volume mark at eye level.)
Pour the measured water gently into the filtration tower. Unscrew the covering lid on the sample funnel if necessary.
Check that no water is leaking out the connection part between the sample funnel and the filtrate receiver.
Apply vacuum using the hand pump.
As you pump, you’ll notice that the gauge needle will rise. Avoid letting the pressure go beyond 15 in. Hg.
It may take a few pumps before pressure builds up enough to pull water through.
There’s no need to pump fast. A slow and steady pump is sufficient.
When all water has passed through the filter, release the pressure built up in the system by pressing the lever at the front of the hand pump. A hissing sound indicates pressure is being released.
Retrieve the filter from the filtration system.
Unscrew and remove the sample funnel.
Using the filter forceps, grab the side of the filter and gently roll it up.
Avoid touching the middle of the filter where the plankton has been collected via filtration, but it is ok to touch the backside of the filter.
Place the rolled-up filter into the prelabelled filter storage tube.
Protect sample from light by wrapping the tube with aluminum foil and store sample in freezer (-20 °C) as soon as possible.
Clean equipment between stations and at the end of the day.
Rinse graduated cylinders with clean freshwater.
Rinse forceps with clean freshwater.
Disassemble filtration unit and rinse each component with clean freshwater.
Beware that the mesh of the filter holder can fall out.
The filtrate receiver only needs to be rinsed at the end of the day.
Ensure that sample collection field sheet with sampling information are filled in at the end of the day (Next page).
After all samples are collected, store filters in the freezer and coordinate a pick up of samples with Alle ([email protected]).