Natural denitrification in drying process of dew
- Osaka Prefecture Univ., Sakai, Osaka (Japan). Coll. of Engineering
- Japan Automobile Research inst., Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)
This report is the first observation of natural chemical denitrification in the drying process of dew. Nitrogen compounds released in the atmosphere are considered to be subjected to oxidation to form nitric acid by the chemical process so far. The results here show that nitrous acid is reduced to N{sub 2} by drying of dew. Dew was collected at Osaka Prefecture University in Sakai City, Japan from 1996 to 1997. Concentrations of ammonium and nitrite ions in dew were very high related to those in rain, and pHs of dew were relatively high, pH ca. 6.5. The authors found that when dew was dried, most nitrite and ammonium ions included in dew were decomposed. It is well-known that concentrated ammonium nitrite aqueous solution is unstable and decomposes to N{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O. During the drying process of dew, nitrite and ammonium would be concentrated and react to form N{sub 2}, and as a result, nitrite and ammonia in the dried dew are lost, that is, natural denitrification occurs in the drying process of dew. The authors report here results of the natural denitrification.
- OSTI ID:
- 354348
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 33; ISSN ESTHAG; ISSN 0013-936X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Chemistry of dews and frosts in Indianapolis. (Reannouncement with new availability information)
/sup 15/N kinetic analysis of N/sub 2/O production by Nitrosomonas europaea: an examination of nitrifier denitrification