Abstract
Using TAM III multi-channel thermocalorimetry combined with direct microorganism counting (bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi) under laboratory conditions, we determined the microbial population count, resistance and activity toward cadmium (Cd) toxicity in soil. The thermokinetic parameters, which can represent soil microbial activity, were calculated from power-time curves of soil microbial activity obtained by microcalorimetric measurement. Simultaneous application of the two methods showed that growth rate constant (k), peak-heat output power (P max) and the number of living microorganisms decreased with increasing concentration of Cd. Anncrease in Cd concentration resulted in the decrease of the peak-heat output power and increase in the time of the peak of power. However, the relationships between the thermokinetic parameters (k and P max) and the number of microorganism were not linear, but the trend was similar. Our research also suggests that microcalorimetry is a very sensitive, simple and useful technique for in vitro investigation of the effects of toxic heavy metals on soil microbial activity.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by grants from the Sino-Italian Governmental International Science and Technology Cooperation Project (Annex No.3), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 4042 5001, No.40673065), the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (20060491508), the Key Project of Chinese Ministry of Education (107077), and the Hubei Key International Cooperation Project (2006CA007).
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Yao, J., Xu, C., Wang, F. et al. An in vitro microcalorimetric method for studying the toxic effect of cadmium on microbial activity of an agricultural soil. Ecotoxicology 16, 503–509 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-007-0157-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-007-0157-x