Fatty acids determination and quantification

The facility

Fatty acids such as Phospholipid (PLFA), neutral lipid fatty acids (NLFA) and Ergosterol (total fungal biomass) are used to assess microbial biomass and community structure in soil and other types of environmental samples. This facility provides all the equipment and knowledge required for the determination and quantification of PLFA, NLFA and Ergosterol. Equipment is available for extractions, GC-QTOF for identification, GC-FID and LC-MSMS for quantification and GC-C- IRMS to analyse 13C/12C ratio of isotope labeled PLFA and NLFA. The labeling of soil samples with 13C can, for example, be used to determine the carbon uptake by fungi and bacteria in soil systems.  

Research topics

Soil, bacteria, fungi, algae,  

References

• Adrian Ho, Hyo Jung Lee, Max Reumer,  Marion Meima-Franke, Ciska Raaijmakers, Hans Zweers, Wietse de Boer, Wim H. Van der Putten, Paul L.E. Bodelier. (2019). Unexpected role of canonical aerobic methanotrophs in upland agricultural soils. Soil Biol Biochem 171,1–8.
• Morriën, E., Hannula, S. E., Snoek, B., Helmsing, N. R., Zweers, H., De Hollander, M., Lujan Soto, R., Bouffaud, M. L., Buée, M., Dimmers, W., Duyts, H., Geisen, S., Girlanda, M., Griffiths, R. I., Jørgensen, H-B., Jensen, J., Plassart, P., Redecker, D., Schmelz, R. M.,... van der Putten, W. H. (2017). Soil networks become more connected and take up more carbon as nature restoration progresses. Nature Communications 8, 14349. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14349.
• D.P.Di Lonardo, A van der Wal, P Harkes, W. de Boer. Effect of nitrogen on fungal growth efficiency. Plant Biosystems. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2020.1779849. 
• Anna Clocchiattia,b, S. Emilia Hannulac, Marlies van den Berga, Gerard Korthals, Wietse de Boer. The hidden potential of saprotrophic fungi in arable soil: Patterns of short term stimulation by organic amendments. Applied soil ecology.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.103434.

Running period (guaranteed funding)

N/A

Equipment / facilities

• EA/GC-C-IRMS
  Gaschromatograph coupled with an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer and Element analyzer coupled with an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer 
  Application: Analysis of 13C/12C ratio of PLFA’s (fatty acids) by GC; Analysis of 13C/ 12C and 15N/14N ratio in solid samples by EA
• GC(xGC)-QTOF
  Gaschromatograph with thermal desorption, liquid, headspace and solid phase micro extraction injection (SPME) system and a quadroupole time of flight mass spectrometer (optional two dimensional chromatography)
  Applications: Analysis of (semi) volatile organic compound in extracts, on traps, fibers, probes and in headspace
• GC-FID
  Gaschromatograph with flame ionisation detector
  Application: Analysis of PLFA’s and NLFA’s (Fatty Acids Methyl Esters)
• UHPLC-MSMS
  Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer
  Application: Analysis of Ergosterol

Data management 

NIOO data management policy

Conditions for access

For questions about the facility for fatty acids determination and quantification, please contact Ciska Raaijmakers.