Nitrification

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Nitrification (pronunciation: /ˌnaɪtrɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/) is a biological process that involves the conversion of ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate. This process is a crucial part of the nitrogen cycle, which is a fundamental aspect of life on Earth.

Etymology

The term "nitrification" is derived from the Latin word 'nitrum', which means 'native soda', and the Greek word 'genes', which means 'forming'. It was first used in the mid-19th century to describe the process of converting ammonia into nitrate.

Process

Nitrification is a two-step process carried out by two groups of microorganisms. The first step is the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) or ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). This process is also known as ammonification. The second step is the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate by nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB).

Importance

Nitrification is an essential process in the nitrogen cycle. It helps in the removal of toxic ammonia and nitrite from the environment. The nitrates produced during nitrification are used by plants for their growth and development. Nitrification also plays a significant role in the treatment of wastewater and in the production of nitric acid.

Related Terms

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski