Paper
Temporal Variation of the Extracellular Enzymatic Activity (EEA): Case of Study: Aburra-Medellín River, in the Valle de Aburra in Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia
- Authors:
- Lina Claudia Giraldo; Carlos Alberto Palacio; Nestor Jaime Aguirre
- Abstract
- This work aims to determine the enzymatic extracellular activity for the transformation of high molecular weight complex organic compounds and their temporal variation at the Aburrá-Medellín river “Aula Ambiental“ monitoring station. In order to evaluate the enzymatic activity of β-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase in relation to the metabolism of carbon and phosphorus, in the water column and the biofilm attached to the rocky substrate of the river bed, seven monitoring campaigns were held between December 2010 and November 2011 at this site. By using a spectrophotometer, two specific substrates, namely 4-Nitrofenil-β-D-Glucopiranosa and 4-Nitrofenilfosfato were evaluated and analysed. From this evaluation, no significant differences were found among the monitoring campaigns, despite climatic variations presented during the study period, which may be due to the constant availability of nutrients in the river and to the continuous discharges of wastewater into the river. This research is a pioneering study in the region, which helps the understanding of the dynamics related to the microbial metabolism of nutrients in water bodies.
- Keywords
- β-Glucosidase; Alkaline Phosphatase; Enzymatic Activity; Aburrá-Medellín River
- StartPage
- 58
- EndPage
- 67
- Doi