The microbial respiration quotient as indicator for bioremediation processes

The respiration quotient (QsubR) calculated from the actual (RsubA) and potential respiration rate (RsubP) after addition of glucose (QsubR = RsubA/RsubP) was compared with the PAH concentration of a contaminated site during bioremediation. A correlation coefficient of 0.997 was obtained. Comparison with respiration quotients of several contaminated and uncontaminated sites gives evidence that the quotient is a suitable indicator for easily biodegradable carbon sources in the soil and presents an adequate quick and easily determinable indicator for the efficiency of bioremediation processes.