Development and field testing of a portable eDNA water sampler
Keywords:
eDNA, Environmental Monitoring, Water Sampler, Portable DeviceAbstract
One of the methods currently revolutionizing biodiversity assessment is the analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA). Here we present a prototype of a semi-automatic sampler for water eDNA collection. The sampler is a portable, affordable, battery-powered device that supports hands-free filtration using peristaltic pumps and allows for the processing of multiple water samples under field conditions.
The prototype system consists of commonly available components including an ESP32 microcontroller, a 3D-printed battery adapter, voltage converters, and two peristaltic pumps. The system is controlled by a simple push-button starting a 20-minute sampling cycle. The filtration setup ensures that contamination is avoided by placing the filter before the pump in the water flow path.
Initial field testing was conducted at Lake Silbersee in Carinthia, Austria, where successful filtrations were carried out using different filters. Concentration measurements of extracted eDNA samples ranged from 9.8 to 24.0 ng/µL, confirming that the device can collect eDNA for water biodiversity assessment. Tests also revealed that filters became clogged after 1 L of filtration in the given water source, supporting the decision to limit operation time.
Future improvements to the prototype may be possible by adding further pump capacity, a display, data logging, and a web-based interface to further increase usability and automation.
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