Abstract
The effects of nutrient amendments on the variation in time of the respiratory quotient (RQ) were investigated in soil. Microbial activity measured by CO2 production, biomass growth determined by plate counts technique and residual contaminants quantified by gas chromatography analysis were monitored in order to check their relation to RQ fluctuations. RQ values in all treatments displayed significant fluctuations over time which were closely related to the phases of the respiratory response as well as to microbial growth. After pollutant addition, an increase of RQ occurred in all microcosms. RQ values decreased when high degradation activity and microbial growth took place. RQ values slightly increased in all microcosms at the end of the incubation. These results show that the respiratory quotient is closely related to the physiological state of microorganisms and may be a determinable indicator for the efficiency of bioremediation.
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