Marine Ecology Laboratory
The Marine Ecology Laboratory of the TalTech Department of Marine Systems performs physicochemical and biological analyses of seawater. In addition to conducting research, the laboratory also offers sampling and analysis services outside the university.
Since 03.01.2014, the Marine Ecology Lab has been recognized by the Estonian Accreditation Centre, as a testing laboratory which meets the requirements of EVS-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 in the field of measurements of marine and surface water physical, chemical and biological characteristics and sampling.
Currently, 17 parameters, including two sampling methodologies are accredited. The accreditation scope of the Marine Ecology Lab can be found on the EAK website.
The accreditation certificate (L257) can be found HERE.
The laboratory is part of the Dynamics of Gradient Systems research group of the Department of Marine Systems and, in addition to the methodologies within the scope of accreditation, also deals with microlitter, environmental DNA, and enzymatic analyses of benthic fauna.
Services
The Marine Ecology Laboratory offers analysis and sampling services outside the university.
The analyses are performed at TalTech Department of Marine Systems in Tallinn, Akadeemia tee 15A.
Prices are negotiable, ask for more information from the laboratory manager Sirje Sildever, +372 620 4306
The Marine Ecology Laboratory of the TalTech Department of Marine Systems keeps the information received or created during the provision of the service confidential and does not share it with third parties, except for the release of information to the accreditation office, to the authority exercising state supervision and the court of justice.
Services within the scope of accreditation
Services within the scope of accreditation (L257 annex)
- Automated determination of nitrate and nitrite
- Automated determination of total nitrogen
- Automated determination of ammonium nitrogen
- Automated determination of orthophosphates
- Automated determination of total phosphorus
- Automated determination of soluble silicates
- Determination of chlorophyll a
- Determination of pH
- Determination of dissolved oxygen using electrochemical method
- Determination of suspended solids
- Determination of phytoplankton species composition, abundance, and biomass
- Determination of macrozoobenthos species composition, abundance, and biomass
- Sampling of seawater and marine sediments
Physical-Chemical measurements with CTD:
- In situ measurement of seawater temperature and salinity
- In situ measurement of dissolved oxygen
- In situ measurement of chlorophyll a fluorescence
Services outside the scope of accreditation
More information coming soon
Microplastics
TalTech Department of Marine Systems has been conducting national microlitter monitoring since 2016 in the surface layer of seawater and since 2017 in seabed sediments.
The results and reports of national monitoring can be found in the Environmental Monitoring Database (KESE).
- Sampling microplastics from seawater with Manta trawl
- Sampling microplastics from seawater/surface water with the FlyDog sampling device
- Microscopic analysis of water samples for microplastics
- Microscopic analysis of sediment samples for microplastics
- Determination of the polymer composition of microplastics using Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (µFTIR).
Analyses of the biological effects of environmental pollution
Biological responses at the suborganismal/individual level, also called biomarkers, are widely used in environmental monitoring to detect adverse effects of exposure to pollutants.
- Sampling and material preparation
- Analyses of enzymatic biomarkers of antioxidant defense system, biotransformation and neurotoxicity.
- Analysis of malformations in benthic embryos
Environmental DNA
Using environmental DNA analysis, we identify various organisms found in seawater, with a primary focus on microalgae.
- DNA isolation from samples and primary amplification in preparation for sequencing