Estimation of nitrifying bacterial activities by measuring oxygen uptake in the presence of the metabolic inhibitors allylthiourea and azide

  • Appl Environ Microbiol. 1998 Jun;64(6):2266-8. doi: 10.1128/AEM.64.6.2266-2268.1998.
P Ginestet  1 ,  JM Audic ,  V Urbain V ,  JC Block
Affiliations
  • 1. Centre International de Recherche sur l'Eau et l'Environment-Lyonnaise des Eaux, Le Pecq, France.
PMID: 9603846 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.64.6.2266-2268.1998
Abstract

The effects of two metabolic inhibitors on an enriched nitrifying biomass during incubation for short periods of time were investigated by determining respirometric measurements. Allylthiourea (86 &mgr;M) and azide (24 &mgr;M) were shown to be strong, selective inhibitors of ammonia and nitrite oxidation, respectively. Consequently, a differential respirometry method for estimating nitrifying and heterotrophic Bacterial activities within a mixed biomass is proposed.

Products