(Multiple) Isotope probing approaches to trace the fate of environmental chemicals and the formation of non-extractable 'bound' residues.
Procedures for the analysis of turnover of chemicals (and of natural compounds) are well developed using radio or stable isotope labelled tracer compounds in various standardized OECD tests. Due to the analytical focus on the isotope label the chemical speciation of the so-called non-extractable residues (NER) in soils and sediments often remains unknown. These NER may stem from parent compounds, metabolites, microbial biomass, or from precipitated carbonates after productive microbial degradation. Fate studies mostly do not describe the link to phylogenetic assignment of degraders and microbial ecology although in these fields various isotope tracer applications are well developed, too. We present several options for integrating both approaches in environmental biotechnology and how they can be used to improve knowledge in microbial ecology.
Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: matthias.kaestner@ufz.de.
Matthias
M
Kästner
RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
Karolina M
KM
Nowak
Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany.
Anja
A
Miltner
RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
Andreas
A
Schäffer
D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D007553:Isotope Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D007554:Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007554:Isotopes; D012987:Soil