Sodium hexametaphosphate as an aid in benthic sample sorting

摘要: The efficacy of sodium hexametaphosphate, when added to a formalin-Rose Bengal fixative solution, in improving the efficiency benthic sample sorting by encouraging disaggregation silt-clay sediment has been investigated. Samples estuarine mud (Mdφ = 6·1) from Damhead Creek, River Medway, were used for analysis. A significant increase (≅23%; p < 0·01) sieving was found samples treated with concentrations 1·24g/litre or more hexametaphosphate; treatments higher than did not improve on this performance significantly. use hexametaphosphate an initial fixative/preservative solution is recommended as economic and practical means sorting, without deleterious effects animal specimens sample.