Nanocalorimetry of respiration in micro-organisms in natural waters

Two commercially available nanocalorimeters were assessed for direct measurement of respiration rates of micro-organisms in natural waters or liquid cultures as a function of temperature. Respiration heat rates were measured with isothermal and temperature-scanning nanocalorimeters in natural seawater and in cultures of microplankton and bacteria. The standard deviation of a measurement of metabolic heat rate by isothermal nanocalorimetry is ±25 nW/mL and by temperature-scanning nanocalorimetry, ±150 nW/mL as a continuous function of temperature. Although the absolute uncertainty of temperature scanning calorimetry is larger, the relative noise between data points is small and temperature scanning rapidly produces a curve of heat rate versus temperature that describes the metabolic response to temperature. Used together, the two methods are capable of generating a curve of metabolic heat rate versus temperature over the entire temperature range of respiratory activity in about 4 h.

► Respiratory heat rates of aquatic micro-organisms measured to ±25 nW with a NanoITC.
► Respiratory heat rates as a continuous function of temperature with a NanoDSC.
► Application to natural waters with oxygen uptake rates >5 μmol L−1 d−1.