Extraction and Analysis of Microbial Phospholipid Fatty Acids in SoilsSylvie A. Quideau 1, Anne C.S. McIntosh 2, Charlotte E. Norris 1, Emily Lloret 3, Mathew J.B. Swallow 4, Kirsten Hannam 5
1Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 2Department of Science, Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta, 3Laboratoire Génie Civil et géo-Environnement, Université de Lille, 4Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Mount Royal University, 5Forest Ecology & Production, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada
Phospholipid fatty acids provide information about the structure of soil microbial communities. We present methods for extraction from soil samples with a single-phase chloroform mixture, fractionation of extracted lipids using solid phase extraction columns, and methanolysis to produce fatty acid methyl esters, which are analyzed by capillary gas chromatography.
