Disposable syringe techniques for obtaining small quantities of pore water from unconsolidated sediments

Disposable plastic syringes, fitted with screen discs and circles of filter paper, can be used to extract small amounts of pore water from unconsolidated sediments. A wooden screw frame or large C clamp supplies pressure for field use. Supplementary techniques enable small volumes of fluid to be recovered and handled easily. The Goldberg compensating refractometer provides a useful companion tool for field studies. It can determine, in less than a minute, total dissolved solids in brackish to salt waters to an accuracy of 0.5 parts per thousand on a drop of fluid.