Determination of Abundance and Activity of Soil Microflora Using Respiratory Curves

This standard specifies a test method for determining the activity of the active, heterotrophic microbial biomass in soils. The method is applicable to the monitoring of soil quality and to the evaluation of the ecotoxic potential of soils and soil materials. It is also applicable to soils that are contaminated experimentally in the field or laboratory (chemical testing) and for soils sampled along contamination gradients in the field.

It is one of a series of International Standards for biological test methods that have been adopted as British Standards – see list below. Further biological test methods are currently being processed in ISO TC190/SC4 (Soil quality – biological methods).

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