MarLab-PPC is a specialised analytical facility operating under the remit of the JRC’s Marine Optical Laboratory.
This ISO 17025-accredited facility works to
- support satellite ocean colour data validation
- quantify phytoplankton biomass and composition
- assess marine diversity with semi-empirical bio-optical algorithms and harmful algal bloom (HAB) detection
What is the significance of phytoplankton in climate-change monitoring?
Phytoplankton plays a central role in the earth’s ecosystem, regulating marine food webs, biogeochemical cycles, and air–sea carbon exchange.
The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) maintains definitions of ‘Essential Climate Variables’ (ECVs) required to systematically observe climate change. Ocean colour and plankton are among these ECVs and MarLab-PPC contributes significantly to the quantification of these variables through its work.
Learn more about ocean colour in The JRC explains: mapping ocean colour from space.
Satellite data validation
MarLab-PPC supports satellite ocean color data validation, including services and products under the Copernicus Programme. We provide reference in situ measurements required for the calibration and validation of satellite data products e.g., chlorophyll-a, using quality-controlled high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methodologies. These measurements ensure the consistency and long-term reliability of satellite-derived products used for climate monitoring and ecosystem assessment.
Phytoplankton characterisation
Through detailed pigment analysis and chemotaxonomic approaches, the laboratory supports the identification and quantification of phytoplankton functional types (PFTs). This contributes to improved understanding of ecosystem dynamics, bloom development, and biodiversity patterns across marine environments.
Development of semi-empirical bio-optical algorithms
MarLab-PPC develops and validates semi-empirical and regionally tuned bio-optical algorithms linking in situ optical properties and pigment composition to remote sensing reflectance. These algorithms enhance the retrieval of chlorophyll, accessory pigments, and phytoplankton community structure from satellite observations, improving both regional applications and climate-quality datasets.
By integrating metrologically robust laboratory measurements with optical modeling and remote sensing expertise, MarLab-PPC serves as a bridge between field observations and satellite platforms. Its activities strengthen the scientific foundation for climate monitoring, HAB early warning systems, marine ecosystem management, and biodiversity assessment within the ocean color community.
Complementary activities
Measuring water column optical constituents
In addition to pigment analysis, MarLab-PPC performs comprehensive measurements of key water column optical constituents, including
- coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM)
- suspended particulate matter (SPM)
- absorption coefficient: partitioning of total absorption into phytoplankton and detrital fractions
These measurements provide the optical and biogeochemical context necessary for robust algorithm development and satellite product validation.
Sampling in the field
MarLab-PPC also regularly organises and participates in oceanographic and sampling campaigns in both marine and freshwater environments. This includes monitoring campaigns in major Italian lakes such as Lake Maggiore and Lake Varese near the JRC’s Ispra site.
Through these coordinated field efforts, the laboratory ensures the collection of high-quality in situ datasets that integrate pigment composition, optical properties, and environmental parametres. This integrated approach strengthens the scientific basis for satellite validation, climate-relevant phytoplankton monitoring and aquatic biodiversity assessment.
High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) Inter-comparison on Phytoplankton Pigments
MarLab-PPC organises the biennial HIP (HPLC Inter-comparison on Phytoplankton Pigments), an international inter-calibration exercise dedicated to harmonising phytoplankton pigment measurements across laboratories. The HIP initiative supports
- satellite ocean colour validation activities
- algorithm development and refinement for phytoplankton functional type (PFT) retrieval
- long-term consistency of in situ pigment datasets
- the accreditation and quality assurance framework of the global ocean color community
During the inter-comparison exercise, participating laboratories analyse shared phytoplankton samples (natural seawater and culture extracts) following their routine HPLC protocols. MarLab-PPC provides reference measurements obtained under ISO/IEC 17025-accredited procedures, which serve as the comparison standard. Statistical analyses evaluate inter-laboratory variability, systematic biases, pigment-specific performance, and measurement uncertainty.
Special emphasis is placed on key ocean-colour-relevant pigments (e.g., chlorophyll-a and accessory carotenoids used for chemotaxonomic and remote sensing applications), ensuring traceable and harmonised datasets suitable for satellite validation programmes and climate-quality time series. Through its ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and the HIP intercalibration framework, MarLab-PPC contributes to strengthening the metrological reliability of phytoplankton pigment measurements and to supporting international ocean colour initiatives and community-wide accreditation efforts.
Every year, the JRC organises a workshop on the HPLC Inter-comparison on Phytoplankton Pigments to bring the community of practice together and strengthen technical harmonisation in the field.
Related publications
E Canuti (2023) Phytoplankton pigment in situ measurements uncertainty evaluation: an HPLC interlaboratory comparison with a European-scale dataset, Frontiers in Marine Science
S Kratzer, E.T Harvey, E Canuti (2022) International Intercomparison of In Situ Chlorophyll-a Measurements for Data Quality Assurance of the Swedish Monitoring Program, Frontiers in Remote Sensing
E Canuti et al (2022) The Fifth HPLC Intercomparison on Phytoplankton Pigments (HIP-5) Technical Report, Publications Office of the EU
E Canuti et al (2016) HPLC/DAD Intercomparison on Phytoplankton Pigments (HIP-1, HIP-2, HIP-3 and HIP-4), Publications Office of the EU
ISO 17025 accredited
MarLab PPC’s laboratory management system is fully compliant with ISO/IEC 17025, the international standard for testing and calibration laboratories.
The lab is accredited for the quantitative analysis of phytoplankton pigments by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The laboratory quality system ensures traceability, method validation, measurement uncertainty estimation, and continuous quality control. This includes assessments of method precision, accuracy, linearity, detection and quantification limits, and robustness. All validated methods are documented within the quality system.
This system enables MarLab-PPC to develop, optimise, and implement new analytical procedures for phytoplankton pigment determination while maintaining full compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.
Related publications
E Canuti (2025) Phytoplankton functional types in the Black Sea. A regionalized algorithm for improving ecosystem monitoring by integrating In-Situ HPLC pigment analysis and satellite observations, Marine Pollution Bulletin
E Canuti (2025) UHPLC-based C-phycocyanin quantification method to support the validation of remote sensing models for harmful cyanobacterial blooms, Journal of Chromatography B
E Canuti, F Artuso, A Di Cicco (2025) Comparative analysis of HPLC methods for measuring phytoplankton pigments in the Western Mediterranean Sea: A contribution to the satellite Cal/Val activities, Marine Chemistry
E Canuti, A Penna (2025) Dynamics of phytoplankton communities in the Baltic Sea: insights from a multidimensional analysis of pigment and spectral data: part II, spectral dataset Frontiers in Marine Science
E Canuti, M Austoni (2025) Characterization of Phytoplankton Composition in Lake Maggiore: Integrated Chemotaxonomy for Enhanced Cyanobacteria Detection, Microorganisms
E Canuti, A Penna (2024) Dynamics of phytoplankton communities in the Baltic Sea: insights from a multi-dimensional analysis of pigment and spectral data—part I, pigment dataset, Frontiers in Marine Science
A Valente et al. (2022) A compilation of global bio-optical in situ data for ocean colour satellite applications – version three, Earth System Science Data
A Valente et al (2019) A compilation of global bio-optical in situ data for ocean-colour satellite applications – version two, Earth System Science Data
Contact us
JRC-HIP-Workshop
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (JRC-HIP-Workshop[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)