ATP

ATP Measurement Kit and Meter

Eric using an ATP Meter. -Don Cowan

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a molecule that all living organisms use for energy, so the amount of biomass in a sample can be estimated by measuring the amount of ATP present in a sample. ATP is measured by mixing the sample with an enzyme called luciferase, which reacts with the ATP to produce light. The amount of light produced indicates how much ATP is present in the sample and this can be measured using a luminometer called an ATP meter. Luminometers are instruments used for measuring levels of light. This test is very sensitive and the whole reaction and measurement can be completed in approximately one minute for each sample, making it a rapid and valuable test for field microbiology in Antarctica.