Index >> Microbes and Lithosphere >> Use of ATP as a Biomass Indicator

Use of ATP as a biomass indicator
ATP extracted with a solvent from soil (0.5 g to 100 g)
ATP measured by luciferin-Iuciferase assay:
Luciferin + A TP + Mg++ -). Oxyluciferin + AMP + iP
Light emissions quantified using a photometer and converted to
A TP concentration by reference to a standard curve.

Correlate ATP to microbial biomass carbon
1 mg ATP = 120-500 mg of microbial biomass (250 mg microbe
carbon/mg ATP)