Operation of a multichannel microcalorimetry system in the micro-submicrowatt region: some methodological aspects

Monitoring heat flux values below approx. 4 microW requires in microcalorimetry non-standard experimental procedures in order to achieve high accuracy and reproducibility. With 5 ml ampoules, stable baselines are reached in 70 min if a three-level pre-thermostating procedure is used and if the gas phase above the liquid is reduced to 0.5 ml or less. A pairwise procedure of reference/measuring ampoules is used. Autoclaved sealing material of teflon, sterilized stainless steel ampoules in contact with a standard cell medium and culture plates of polystyrene do not contribute to measured heat flux. Further, we found that a standard cell culture medium develops a significant thermal heat flux, 0.10 microW.ml-1, probably reflecting an oxidation process in the medium itself.