A new method to estimate respiration rate of biological material based on the reduction of tetrazolium violet

• Published in: Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology Vol. 251; no. 2; pp. 239 - 263
• Main Author: BAMSTEDT, U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30.08.2000; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Enzymatic reduction; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects. Techniques; Marine; Methods and techniques (sampling, tagging, trapping, modelling...); Respiration; Sweden; Tetrazolium violet; Enzymatic reduction; Respiration; Tetrazolium violet; Tetrazolium test; Chemical reagent; Experimental plan; Environmental factor; Mysidacea; Crustacea; Marine environment; Aquatic environment; Vertebrata; Analysis method; Enzymatic activity; Arthropoda; Pisces; Technique; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0022-0981; 1879-1697
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0981(00)00217-3

The traditional method for measuring the activity of the electron-transport system (ETS) gives an estimate of the potential respiration rate, since it measures the rate under saturated substrate conditions ( V max). Accumulated literature data indicate that this does not relate closely to the actual respiration rate. The new method described here is based on reduction of tetrazolium violet in a homogenate with a natural level of substrates. The analytical protocol ensures that the spectrophotometric reading after 1 h incubation at 40°C reflects the ambient amount of substrates available. This method is superior to the traditional ETS assay in giving a closer correlation with ambient respiration rate. A number of methodological tests have been performed and recommendations are given to optimize the measurements. Macrozooplankton species from the coastal waters of Sweden, representing different taxonomic and trophic groups, showed a range in respiration/ETS ratio from 1.1 to 2.9, and both inter- and intra-specific variability in this ratio were reduced by 50–70% compared with the traditional ETS assay. Results from other environments and for particulate organic matter indicate a similar general improvement. The new analytical assay is simple, cheap and well suited for fieldwork.