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doi:10.2204/iodp.proc.343343T.103.2013

Microbiology

Whole-round sampling

Whole-round samples were collected and analyzed from 12 of the 21 cores recovered from Hole C0019E (Table T14). Following the procedures described in “Microbiology” in the “Methods” chapter (Expedition 343/343T Scientists, 2013), the whole-round samples were subsequently subsampled for each analysis.

Contamination tests

PFC tracer was added to the drilling mud tank every time a new batch of drilling mud was prepared with surface seawater. After preparations were complete, a 50 cm3 sample was collected to measure PFC concentration so that the drilling fluid contamination of core samples could be assessed. PFC concentrations in the drilling mud were variable, ranging from 1.66 to 989 µg/cm3 (Table T14). These variations could be explained by the insufficient mixing of highly viscous drilling mud and PFC solution in the drilling mud tank. Two mud samples showed very high concentrations of PFC (Samples 343-C0019E-Mud-5/19–20 and Mud-5/20 in Table T14), which could represent insufficient mixing of the PFC solution. The other values (1.65–1.88 µg/cm3) represent average PFC concentrations in drilling mud sufficiently mixed with PFC.

PFC concentrations in the microbiological whole-round samples were generally much lower than those measured in drilling mud. Predictably, the exterior portions of whole-round samples always have higher PFC contaminations than the interior (Table T14); therefore, microbiological subsamples were only collected from the interior. Among all samples collected, the interiors of Cores 343-C0019E-4R, 12R, and 19R were found to be completely free from any drilling mud contamination. This implies that these subsamples escaped contamination from not only the drilling mud, but also from ambient seawater during core recovery. Similarly, the interior parts of Cores 343-C0019E-5R, 7R, 8R, 15R, and 20R show relatively less drilling mud and seawater contamination (Table T14). However, both the exterior and interior of Cores 343-C0019E-6R and 13R exhibited high concentrations of PFC. Thus, the microbiological data and even interstitial water chemistry data from these samples should be carefully examined for the potential of drilling mud and seawater contamination.