The Hydrobox: a portable laboratory for marine chemistry

The Hydrobox is a portable, containerised hydrochemistry laboratory which will support ship-based and land-based oceanographic research in Australian, Southern Ocean and Antarctic waters. The custom-built facility is funded by the Australian Research Council, with the support from the CAST members as well as the Australian National University. The facility will deliver accurate and precise measurements of salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients in marine, coastal and riverine waters following world’s best practices and using state-of-the-art instrumentation. These parameters are of fundamental importance to chemical, physical and biological oceanographic research. A particularly exciting aspect of the project is the engagement with the wider public through artwork commissioning. The external walls of the HydroBox will be painted by a collaboration between an emerging Tasmanian Aboriginal artist and an established, mentor artist in partnership with the UTAS Indigenous Student Success Programme. Watch this space as we will reveal the artwork during the official launch of the facility very soon.