Open AccessAn Automated Laboratory Method for Measuring CO 2 Emissions from Soils
Author(s) -
McGowen Eric B.,
Sharma Sumit,
Deng Shiping,
Zhang Hailin,
Warren Jason G.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
agricultural and environmental letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.681
H-Index - 12
ISSN - 2471-9625
DOI - 10.2134/ael2018.02.0008
Subject(s) - soil water , dilution , chemistry , soil test , analytical chemistry (journal) , gas chromatography , soil respiration , environmental science , environmental chemistry , carbon dioxide , soil science , chromatography , physics , thermodynamics , organic chemistry
Core Ideas A GC method to measure soil CO 2 emission was developed and compared with Solvita CO 2 burst method. A strong exponential relationship between Solvita and GC method was observed. CO 2 emissions from soils increased with drying temperature to a maximum at 65°C. The data presented highlight the narrow linear range of the Solvita method. The standardized procedure increased rate of analysis and reduced costs.A gas chromatography (GC) headspace method was developed for soil microbial respiration (CO 2 emission) analysis after a 24‐h incubation of a rewetted soil. The GC method was compared with the Solvita CO 2 burst method by analyzing 18 different soils that were air‐dried (22°C) or dried at 45, 65, and 105°C for 24 h before rewetting. A strong exponential relationship between the Solvita color number and GC headspace CO 2 –C emission was observed. Compared with air‐dried soils, drying at 65°C led to increased CO 2 emission and reduced variation among sample replicates, while drying at 105°C led to a reduction in CO 2 emission and an increase in variability. The GC method does not require sample dilution, provides data that is highly correlated to the Solvita method, and has a wider dynamic test range than the Solvita method. The developed GC method could be adapted to automation for commercial laboratory use.