Apparatus for rapid measurement of hydrogen concentration and its use in the measurement of nitrogenase activity
AssigneeQueen's University at Kingston
InventorsDavid B. Layzell, Stephen Hunt, Adrian N. Dowling, Lawrence J. Winship, Zhongmin Dong
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for rapidly measuring nitrogenase activity of a nitrogen fixing plant growing in a medium in a non-porous container, is described. Gas containing hydrogen is sampled at the surface of the medium at a rate approximately equal to the rate of hydrogen diffusion from the medium, and the sample is passed to a hydrogen sensor where it is measured and nitrogenase activity is determined therefrom.
Claims11
An apparatus for measuring nitrogenase activity of a hydrogen-evolving, nitrogen-fixing plant growing in a container containing a porous growth medium which does not oxidize hydrogen, comprising:
- means for sampling gas containing hydrogen at the surface of said medium at a rate approximately equivalent to rate of hydrogen diffusion from said medium;
- a hydrogen sensor;
- flow path means for supplying said hydrogen-containing gas sample to said hydrogen sensor;
- means for drying said sample in said flow path means;
- means for measuring flow rate in said flow path means;
- means for monitoring concentration of hydrogen in said flow path, and determining nitrogenase activity therefrom.
A method for rapid measurement of nitrogenase activity of a hydrogen-evolving, nitrogen-fixing plant growing in a container containing a porous growth medium which does not oxidize hydrogen comprising:
- sampling gas containing hydrogen at the surface of said medium at a rate approximately equivalent to the rate of hydrogen diffusion from said medium;
- passing said hydrogen-containing gas sample through a hydrogen sensor and determining therefrom nitrogenase activity of said plant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.