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A modified biometer flask for the measurement of mineralization of 14 C‐labelled compounds in soil
Author(s) -
HAIGH S. D.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1993.tb00470.x
Subject(s) - laboratory flask , dilution , mineralization (soil science) , alkali metal , chemistry , sampling (signal processing) , alkali soil , environmental science , soil water , computer science , soil science , nitrogen , physics , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , filter (signal processing) , computer vision
SUMMARY The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)‐recommended biometer flask (OECD Guideline 304A) was modified to allow rapid and accurate sampling of large numbers of flasks during long‐term soil biodegradation experiments. Use of the OECD flask involves tedious manipulation each time the flasks are sampled. The transfer of alkali to and from the side‐arm reservoir, followed by dilution, is open to operator error and is time consuming. The new flask was found to give comparable or higher recoveries of CO 2 compared to the OECD‐recommended apparatus whilst minimizing the manipulation of 14 C‐loaded alkali. By avoiding dilution of the alkali trap, the sensitivity of the test is increased by an order of magnitude and the sampling time is reduced by two‐thirds.