N. Barros et al., COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE MICROBIAL ACTIVITY IN DIFFERENT SOILS BY THEMICROCALORIMETRIC METHOD, Thermochimica acta, 296(1-2), 1997, pp. 53-58
Microcalorimetry was applied to the study of the microbial activity of
four soils with different percentages of organic matter. The qualitat
ive study of the heat flow rate-time curves, recorded from soil sample
s amended with glucose, showed remarkable differences in the soil micr
obial activity. In order to show results in a more quantitative way, t
he total heat evolution, Q(tot), the total heat evolution of soil samp
les amended with glucose, Q(tot(glc)), and the values of peak time and
microbial growth rate constant, mu, were calculated from the heat flo
w rate-time curves recorded from all samples. Values of peak time incr
eased with decreased microbial density and a positive correlation betw
een total heat evolution, Q(tot), and percentage of organic matter, wa
s found. Microcalorimetry appears as a suitable technique to carry out
both qualitative and quantitative comparative studies of microbial ac
tivity in soils. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.