EXP 402 Assistant Lab Officer Tech Report

Owned by jr_novak
Last updated: Apr 06, 2024
4 min read

Beth Novak and Dan Marone

Expedition Info

Staff and scientists embarked for Exp 402 February 9th 2024.    We cored sediments including volcanic sands, mud, and evaporites as well as hard rock cores (peridotite) with a total recovery of 1149 m.  The hard rock contained asbestos bearing minerals and we enacted our asbestos protocol following the procedures written prior to the expedition.  Enclosures were added to the saws for asbestos containment and worked well.  Personal sampling was completed on board.  Due to the volcanic sands the pipe had to be severed by Schlumberger twice during the expedition, which led to less recovery over all.  We also recovered cores containing evaporite deposits, including halite, which required special storage procedures prior to boxing using the Cryovac wrap.  This is covered in the curation report.

COVID Protocol

Reduced COPE protocol was enacted for Exp 402.   There was no hotel quarantine prior to the expedition and no mandatory masking period.  Three Covid cases were detected and isolated and afterwards all returned to normal.

Asbestos Handling Procedure

Due to the asbestiform nature of the material being cored at certain sites there were special precautions taken while working with certain core sections.  Staff built enclosures for the three samples saws and super saw that were utilized for cutting asbestiform material. Staff wore Tyvek suits and respirators when cutting samples or splitting cores that were deemed a possible asbestos hazard. On each science shift there was a designated petrologist who would examine each core as it was shaken out in the splitting room and determine if there was a possibility of asbestiform minerals being present. During the times when this core material was present in the labs the whole core lab was to follow the asbestos protocol including  no food or drink in the core lab.  Trash from the lab was double bagged and placed behind the RadVan for disposal in port.  The steps taken are described in detail in the Exp 402 Asbestos Minerals Handling Procedures document. 

Shipping

Items leaving from Napoli (402 Shipment)

To be shipped via DHL:

  • F402_FAF_ZITE-  1 Drill Bit to Nevio Zitellini (CTROOF)

  • F402_FAF_DIST

  • F402_FAF_TRUA

  • F402_FAF_SPIN

  • F402_EXPRESS- Respirators and Brady Label printer returning to GCR

To be Hand Carried off the vessel:

  • F402_HC_BICK

  • F402_HC_PEZA

  • F402_HC_SANF -carrying TRIB and BRUN samples as well

  • F402_HC_SECC

  • F402_HC_INSI- Samples to be picked up by Donatella Insinga in port on the 8th

  • F402_HC_LORE

  • F402_HC_VANN- Picking up her samples on the 9th with her PhD student, carrying the PAPE samples as well

  • F402_HC_ISMAR- Drill bit to ISMAR

 

Items leaving from Amsterdam (402T shipment, in AMS under Expedition 402T)

CORE REEFERS

  • F402T_GCR- 1 Reefer to GCR with the Archive half sections and Misc. items returning to College Station. 

    • 3 empty gas racks

    • Empty rented MBIO gas bottle in crate in upper tween

    • Empty kboxes

  • F402T_BCR- 1 Reefer to BCR with the Working half sections and sample residues.  MENA samples are being shipped to BCR with core and residues and delivered to scientist.

Orange spray paint on the end of the box indicates potential asbestos hazard.

Blue spray paint on the end of the core box indicates evaporite cores.  These are stored in the core box rack in Upper Tween and should be kept out of the reefer until it is time to palletize and ship them. 

FAF

  • 9 total DHL sample shipments to non-USA destinations

  • F401_FAF_Logs- 2 boxes, located in Upper Tween

RAF (Do not put in reefer)

  • Samples for US scientists

  • Miscellaneous items returning to IODP 

There is space in the Kbox to add items that need to go back. Do not add any laptops with lithium batteries. There are already four in this shipment which is the maximum allowed.

There are samples in this box that should not be put in the reefer.  Keep the RAF at room temperature.

3rd Party Equipment 

SCHLUMBERGER (AF)

-UBI tools

World Courier 

World Courier shipments are being held on board until the vessel arrives in Amsterdam.  Bags are labeled with addresses and freezers/incubators are labeled for quick identification.

RODR -USA: 4 x GDI 80L Frozen FDECK;  1 x GTC 12L Refrigerated Tbulk incubator

FU- USA: 4 x GDI 80L Frozen  -20 Freezer HRS; 1 x GTC 56L Refrigerated  Tbulk incubator

GONT- France: 1x GDI 80L Frozen -20 Freezer HRS, 1 x GTC 56L Refrigerated  Tbulk incubator

BOUR- France, 1x GDI 80L Frozen- Tbulk -86C Freezer next to stairs

Shore Purchase in Napoli:

  • 24 Lithium AA batteries for the orientation tools

Inventory

  • Reduced ROP/RSL on items as they came up on shopping list so as not to end up with too many extra at the end of Exp. 403.

  • Please watch items such as rags and paper towels.  If you use a bunch during the tie up, let us know so we can get more for 403.

IODP Store

-Sold out of a lot of items.  We sent in an order for items for 402T and 403.  But some items were not restocked on shore and therefore will no longer be available on the ship.

Software related Issues

General Notes:

-3D printed a cover for the eyewash in BHAZ after noticing one cover was missing.

-Ran Tracer pumps on multiple holes (APC, XCB, RCB). Pump will be run again on 403.  We left bottles, sealed with parafilm, in the tracer pump box.  The pump was put into stand by mode.  10 kilos of PFD remain in the BHAZ locker.

 

Load Outs

 

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