System for sampling and monitoring microscopic organisms and substances
Abstract
A technique and apparatus used therewith for determining the uptake of plutonium and other contaminants by soil microorganisms which, in turn, gives a measure of the plutonium and/or other contaminants available to the biosphere at that particular time. A measured quantity of uncontaminated spores of a selected mold is added to a moistened sample of the soil to be tested. The mixture is allowed to sit a predetermined number of days under specified temperature conditions. An agar layer is then applied to the top of the sample. After three or more days, when spores of the mold growing in the sample have formed, the spores are collected by a miniature vacuum collection apparatus operated under preselected vacuum conditions, which collect only the spores with essentially no contamination by mycelial fragments or culture medium. After collection, the fungal spores are dried and analyzed for the plutonium and/or other contaminants. The apparatus is also suitable for collection of pollen, small insects, dust and other small particles, material from thin-layer chromatography plates, etc.
- Inventors:
-
- Las Vegas, NV
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, Nev. (USA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 862653
- Patent Number(s):
- 3983007
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12M - APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(26-1)-539
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- sampling; monitoring; microscopic; organisms; substances; technique; apparatus; therewith; determining; uptake; plutonium; contaminants; soil; microorganisms; measure; available; biosphere; particular; time; measured; quantity; uncontaminated; spores; selected; mold; added; moistened; sample; tested; mixture; allowed; sit; predetermined; days; specified; temperature; conditions; agar; layer; applied; top; growing; formed; collected; miniature; vacuum; collection; operated; preselected; collect; essentially; contamination; mycelial; fragments; culture; medium; fungal; dried; analyzed; suitable; pollen; insects; dust; particles; material; thin-layer; chromatography; plates; etc; vacuum conditions; temperature conditions; culture medium; specified temperature; preselected vacuum; collection apparatus; particular time; thin-layer chromatography; soil microorganisms; contaminants available; /435/
Citation Formats
Au, Frederick H. F., and Beckert, Werner F. System for sampling and monitoring microscopic organisms and substances. United States: N. p., 1976.
Web.
Au, Frederick H. F., & Beckert, Werner F. System for sampling and monitoring microscopic organisms and substances. United States.
Au, Frederick H. F., and Beckert, Werner F. Thu .
"System for sampling and monitoring microscopic organisms and substances". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/862653.
@article{osti_862653,
title = {System for sampling and monitoring microscopic organisms and substances},
author = {Au, Frederick H. F. and Beckert, Werner F},
abstractNote = {A technique and apparatus used therewith for determining the uptake of plutonium and other contaminants by soil microorganisms which, in turn, gives a measure of the plutonium and/or other contaminants available to the biosphere at that particular time. A measured quantity of uncontaminated spores of a selected mold is added to a moistened sample of the soil to be tested. The mixture is allowed to sit a predetermined number of days under specified temperature conditions. An agar layer is then applied to the top of the sample. After three or more days, when spores of the mold growing in the sample have formed, the spores are collected by a miniature vacuum collection apparatus operated under preselected vacuum conditions, which collect only the spores with essentially no contamination by mycelial fragments or culture medium. After collection, the fungal spores are dried and analyzed for the plutonium and/or other contaminants. The apparatus is also suitable for collection of pollen, small insects, dust and other small particles, material from thin-layer chromatography plates, etc.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1976},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1976}
}