Design and validation of a sampling skid device for collecting aquatic organisms

As international regulations on aquatic organism discharge in ships' ballast water take effect, port state authorities will need a sampling device for compliance inspectors to potentially use for sample collection. Importantly, the device must be easily operable, quickly connectable to the main ballast water pipe, and reliable in collecting a representative sample of the ballast water flowing through the pipe. Existing sampling devices currently fall short in these aspects. Therefore, we've developed, manufactured, and validated a new sampling skid. This design enables the regulation of flow velocity and flow rate, facilitating the simultaneous, convenient collection of organisms ≥50 μm and other biological samples. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of sampling outcomes between traditional net sampling devices, using land-based experiments to assess the accuracy and precision of the innovative sampling skid. The findings show that, despite significant differences in <10 μm organism concentrations, the sampling skid, as an alternative to traditional net and other skid devices, has demonstrated substantial potential and feasibility.