The integrated system allows for the culturing of microorganisms under hydrostatic pressures from 0.1 to 69 MPa (and up to 138 MPa with ongoing developments) and at temperatures ranging from 25 to 120°C. For full description, see Foustoukos and Perez-Rodriguez (2015), Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 81, 6850
A Vent-SID, Vent-Submersible Incubation Device, was used for on-deck incubations. It draws seawater and microbes into incubation chambers and measures the biochemical business going on under natural conditions. For further description of this device, see https://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/bringing-a-lab-to-the-seafloor/.
Particulate nitrate (PN), carbon (PC) and nitrate (NO3-) uptake was obtained by spiking 500 mL of seawater with 15N-NH4Cl at no more than 10% of ambient nitrate concentration and incubated for 8 hours.