Isothermal Micro-Calorimetry: Applications in Environmental Science

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All chemical and biological processes produce or consume heat, which can be measured using a calorimeter. Measuring the rates and patterns of heat production provides fundamental information about the microbial metabolisms involved. The requested instrument, an isothermal micro-calorimeter, measures the rate of heat production in small sample volumes at a precisely controlled temperature. It will be used to monitor heat flows in a variety of environmental samples, including soils/sediments, and laboratory cultures. The patterns of heat production or consumption produced in these samples will help (1) predict the release of nutrients to the environment, and (2) delineate the microbial controls on greenhouse gas emissions from soils/sediments. Moreover, the data collected from the calorimeter will be used to develop and validate an entirely new theoretical framework that links the production and allocation of energy within microbial communities to the rates at which soil microorganisms carry out important chemical transformations under environmentally relevant, but variable, conditions. The isothermal micro-calorimeter will benefit Canadians by providing high quality data to inform environmental regulations and guidelines, and improve environmental models.