An in vitro microcalorimetric method for studying the toxic effect of cadmium on microbial activity of an agricultural soil

Jun Yao*, Chaoqian Xu, Fei Wang, Lin Tian, Yanxin Wang, Huilun Chen, Zhou Yong, Martin M.F. Choi, Emilia Bramanti, Thomas Maskow

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)503-509
Number of pages7
JournalEcotoxicology
Volume16
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2007

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Toxicology
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

User-Defined Keywords

  • Cadmium
  • Microcalorimetry
  • Soil microbial activity
  • Soil pollution

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