Denitrification and nitrous oxide production in a coastal marine ecosystem

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1984.29.1.0073· OSTI ID:6540903

Seitzinger, S P; Nixon, S W; Pilson, M E.Q.

Denitrification was measured directly as the flux of N/sub 2/ from sediment cores collected at various times of year at three stations in the Narragansett Bay, R.I., area. Rates of N/sub 2/ production ranged from about 10 to 115 ..mu..mol N x m/sup -2/ x h/sup -1/, with lowest values at 2/sup 0/C in winter and highest at 15/sup 0/C in summer. Denitrification represents a major sink for fixed N in the bay; annually the N/sub 2/ production is equal to about 50% of the fixed inorganic N loading to the bay from rivers, land, and sewage. About 35% of the organic nitrogen mineralized in the sediments is removed from the ecosystem by denitrification. The percentage of organic nitrogen being mineralized in the sediments as N/sub 2/O relative to N/sub 2/ or NO/sub 3//sup -/ + NO/sub 2//sup -/ is higher in polluted sediments than in relatively unpolluted sediments, but in all cases is <10%.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Rhode Island, Narragansett
• OSTI ID: 6540903
• Journal Information: Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States), Journal Name: Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States) Vol. 29:1; ISSN LIOCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIOSYNTHESIS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COASTAL REGIONS
DENITRIFICATION
FEDERAL REGION I
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS OXIDE
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RHODE ISLAND
SAMPLING
SEDIMENTS
SYNTHESIS
USA
WATER POLLUTION