The Arctic is one of the most important regions on Earth for understanding climate change, ocean processes and fragile ecosystem dynamics. As sea ice, temperature, biodiversity and pollution patterns continue to shift, researchers need reliable analytical tools that can support high-quality measurements in remote and demanding field environments.
Hiden Analytical has recently installed a pQA Portable Quadrupole Analyser for Takuvik International Research Laboratory and CNRS. Installed by Andrea Secco, the system will be used to monitor the O2/Ar ratio and oxygen concentration in water during polar expeditions associated with Tara Polaris. This application highlights the role of portable dissolved gas analysis in supporting marine science, environmental monitoring and long-term Arctic research.
Supporting research associated with Tara Polaris
Tara Polaris I is a 2026–2027 Arctic research expedition focused on improving scientific understanding of the Arctic and its unique biodiversity. The wider Tara Polaris programme is centred around Tara Polar Station, a long-term drifting observatory and laboratory designed to study the Central Arctic Ocean over multiple expeditions.
The Central Arctic Ocean remains one of the most difficult environments to observe consistently. Extreme seasonality, shifting sea ice, limited access and rapid environmental change all create challenges for scientists working to understand how polar systems function. Long-term field observations are therefore essential for tracking physical, chemical and biological changes across the Arctic.
The Tara Polaris programme brings together a multidisciplinary scientific consortium, including organisations such as CNRS and Laval University, to study climate, biodiversity, pollution, ocean dynamics and the interactions between the atmosphere, sea ice and the underlying ocean. Within this context, water chemistry and dissolved gas measurements can provide valuable data for understanding biological and environmental processes in polar waters.
Why monitor O2/Ar ratio and oxygen concentration in water?
Oxygen concentration in water is a key indicator in marine and environmental research. It can help researchers assess biological activity, water mass characteristics and changes in aquatic systems. In polar environments, oxygen measurements can contribute to wider studies of ecosystem function, ocean circulation, productivity and the effects of environmental change.
The O2/Ar ratio is particularly useful because argon behaves as a relatively inert reference gas in seawater. By comparing oxygen with argon, researchers can better distinguish biological oxygen signals from physical processes such as temperature-driven gas solubility changes. This makes O2/Ar ratio monitoring valuable in studies connected to marine productivity, air-sea gas exchange and biogeochemical cycling.
For polar expeditions, these measurements need to be made in conditions where space, portability, reliability and sensitivity all matter. Field-based analytical systems must support high-quality data collection while fitting within the practical constraints of mobile laboratories, research vessels and remote sampling environments.
Hiden pQA installed for Takuvik International Research Laboratory and CNRS
The pQA Portable Quadrupole Analyser installed by Hiden Analytical will support researchers from Takuvik International Research Laboratory and CNRS in monitoring dissolved gases in water during polar research activities linked to Tara Polaris.
The installation was carried out by Andrea Secco, supporting the deployment of Hiden mass spectrometry technology for a demanding environmental research application. Rather than being limited to conventional laboratory workflows, the pQA is designed for situations where gas analysis may need to be carried out closer to the sample source, including on boats, at field sites and in mobile laboratories.
This makes the system well suited to research programmes where rapid access to accurate dissolved gas information can help scientists build a more detailed picture of changing aquatic environments.
Portable dissolved gas analysis with the pQA
The Hiden pQA Portable Quadrupole Analyser is a compact mass spectrometer designed for the analysis of dissolved gases and species in water, sediments and other liquid sample environments. It is available with interchangeable sampling inlets, including membrane inlet mass spectrometry options for dissolved species analysis.
For marine and environmental research, the pQA offers several advantages. It is designed for field use, supports small sample volume applications and is suited to low-concentration gas analysis. These features are important when researchers are working with limited sample availability, remote field locations or mobile analytical workflows.
The pQA is also relevant to a broad range of water analysis and environmental monitoring applications, including dissolved species analysis, groundwater studies, water and sediment analysis, denitrification studies and wastewater or sludge analysis. In polar research, the same core capability can support the measurement of oxygen and other dissolved gases in water, helping researchers connect chemical data with wider environmental observations.
Connecting Arctic measurements to global environmental understanding
The Arctic is often described as a sentinel of global change because shifts in this region can influence wider ocean, climate and ecosystem systems. Long-term polar research helps scientists improve climate models, understand biodiversity, investigate sea ice melt and pollution impacts, and monitor changes in marine environments that are otherwise difficult to access.
By supporting the measurement of O2/Ar ratio and oxygen concentration in water, the pQA contributes analytical capability to research associated with these wider scientific goals. For Hiden Analytical, this installation demonstrates how specialist gas analysis solutions can be applied beyond the laboratory, supporting field-based research where robust, sensitive and portable gas analysis is required.
As environmental science increasingly depends on reliable data from challenging locations, portable mass spectrometry has an important role to play. Whether used in Arctic expeditions, marine research vessels, riverbank studies, groundwater analysis or mobile laboratories, the pQA Portable Quadrupole Analyser enables researchers to bring high-performance dissolved gas analysis closer to the environment being studied.
To learn more about portable dissolved gas analysis for field and laboratory research, explore the Hiden pQA Portable Quadrupole Analyser or contact the Hiden Analytical team.
What is the pQA Portable Quadrupole Analyser?
The pQA Portable Quadrupole Analyser is a portable Hiden mass spectrometer designed for dissolved gas and dissolved species analysis in water, sediments and field-based applications.
How is the pQA being used in polar research?
A Hiden pQA has been installed for Takuvik International Research Laboratory and CNRS to support monitoring of O2/Ar ratio and oxygen concentration in water during polar expeditions associated with Tara Polaris.
Why measure oxygen concentration in water?
Oxygen concentration is an important indicator in marine and environmental research. It can help scientists study biological activity, water quality, ecosystem processes and changes in aquatic environments.
Why is O2/Ar ratio useful in marine research?
The O2/Ar ratio helps researchers interpret oxygen changes in water by comparing oxygen with argon, a relatively inert gas. This can improve understanding of biological oxygen production and physical gas exchange processes.
What is Tara Polaris?
Tara Polaris is a long-term Arctic research programme focused on studying the Central Arctic Ocean, climate change, biodiversity, pollution, sea ice and ecosystem processes.
Is Hiden Analytical an official partner of Tara Polaris?
This article does not claim that Hiden Analytical is an official Tara Polaris partner. Hiden’s role described here is the installation of a pQA system for Takuvik International Research Laboratory and CNRS to support research associated with polar expeditions linked to Tara Polaris.
