Phytoplankton pigment in situ measurements uncertainty evaluation: an HPLC interlaboratory comparison with a European-scale dataset

Phytoplankton pigment data play a crucial role in ecological studies, enabling the identification of algal groups and estimation primary production rates. Accurate measurements chlorophyll (TChl ) other marine pigments are essential for development bio-optical algorithms validation satellite products. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is gold standard method quantifying multiple single water sample. This study aims to investigate uncertainties associated with phytoplankton quantification by comparing duplicate sample analyses conducted two laboratories, Joint Research Centre European Commission ( J DHI Group, Denmark D ). The were performed using same HPLC method. dataset comprised 957 natural samples collected between 2012 2017 from various seas, representing different trophic conditions TChl concentrations ranging 0.083 27.35 mg/m 3 . compared results independent pigments, including b, c, carotens, fucoxanthin, 19′-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, diadinoxanthin, diatoxanthin, 19′-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, peridin, zeaxanthin. percent difference was calculated assess quantification. mean observed 10.8%. For 16.9%. These meet requirements 15% 25% uncertainties, respectively, which applicable comparative analysis laboratories demonstrates that within acceptable ranges Moreover, investigates propagation diagnostic values indexes, derived pigment-based characterize populations according functional types.