A combination method to study the effects of petroleum on soil microbial activity.

TAM III multi-channel calorimetry was applied to study the effect of different concentrations petroleum on soil microbial activity and community. The microbial activities of the soil samples were recorded as power-time curves. The thermokinetic parameters such as microbial growth rate constant k, total heat evolution Q(T), metabolic enthalpy ∆H (met) and mass specific heat rate J(Q/S) were calculated. Results showed that petroleum had a certain extent effects to soil microorganisms. The results indicate that the soil microbial activity was promoted with a petroleum concentration lower than 0.52 % ± 0.24 %, but inhibited with further increase in petroleum.