Article révisé par les pairs
| Résumé : | This paper describes a very sensitive method for the evaluation of nitrification rates requiring only short incubation times (3-6 h) and applicable to all aquatic media. It is based on the measurement of dark [14C]-bicarbonate incorporation inhibited by N-serve, an inhibitor of nitrification. Although this substance has been shown to have a high specificity towards nitrifying bacteria, it does cause an inhibition of bicarbonate incorporation by sulfate-reducing bacteria at the concentration used to inhibit nitrification. Because of this, physico-chemical conditions must be determined when performing measurements of nitrification rates to ensure that sulfate-reducing bacteria are not active. An illustration of this method is provided by measurements in the Scheldt estuary. © 1978. |
