Determination of Total, Organic, and Inorganic Carbon in Biological Cultures and Liquid Fraction Process Samples
This procedure describes a method for analyzing dissolved and suspended total carbon, in organic and inorganic form in biological cultures, in the presence or absence of cells, and liquid fraction conversion process samples. This method calculates total organic carbon by subtraction of inorganic carbon, derived from sample acidification, from total dissolved carbon by combustion at 680°C with detection of derived gaseous CO 2 by a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor. The inclusion of details on a process step of heat treating biologically active samples before analysis can potentially halt biological activity, preserving carbon stores and allowing for accurate quantification of the carbon content at the time of sample collection.