Deep sea sampling
The ANAXIMANDER project brought together seven universities and research institutes to investigate large amounts of methane stored in ocean sediments in the form of gas hydrates. Methane production is facilitated by barophilic microorganisms that flourish in the high pressure environment several thousand metres below the ocean surface. Sampling at this depth is extremely challenging, especially the subsequent transport of samples to the laboratory for analysis. High pressure must be maintained otherwise the physical and chemical properties of the samples will be altered, rendering them useless. Engineers with the Technical University of Crete addressed this issue by designing and manufacturing a special vessel for sample transport. The sample volume is 200 cc. Rapid pressurisation up to 20 MPa is performed by a small HPLC pump and maintained by a small gas cap. The procedure is simple and safe and can be accomplished by just one person. The unit was successfully tested during one of the ANAXIMANDER research cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean. Further innovation was required in order to safely transfer core samples from the ship to the laboratory of the project coordinator, the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME) in Greece. A vehicle was outfitted with a special refrigeration unit to maintain a constant temperature. It was also used to transport the core sampler.
