Structural properties of Southern Ocean pteropods using scanning electron microscopy

This study aims to determine the impact of ocean acidification on Southern Ocean pteropods via a detailed understanding of the structural properties of their shells. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the structure of shells that had been cleaned and dried compared with the structure of shells that were imaged directly from the preserving ethanol. Although the microstructure of the shell remains largely intact after the chemical cleaning and drying process, the removal of interstitial organic matter appears to have a dramatic effect on the mechanical integrity of the structure.