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NITRIFICATION

Nitrification occurs in two steps carried out by different bacteria, first the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, then the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate by nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. It is an important process in the nitrogen cycle that converts ammonia produced by decay into nitrates available to plants.

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11 views3 pages

NITRIFICATION

Nitrification occurs in two steps carried out by different bacteria, first the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, then the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate by nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. It is an important process in the nitrogen cycle that converts ammonia produced by decay into nitrates available to plants.

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stephenkimunge
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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UNIT NAME: BASICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY

UNIT CODE: HEH 104

NAME OF STUDENT: WANJIRU CYNTHIA BELLA

ADMISSION NUMBER: Q32/CE/10082/2022

LECTURER: DR JOHN MATHENGE

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 8TH APRIL, 2024

TASK; DISCUSS THE STEPS INVOLVED IN NITRIFICATION.


Discuss the steps involved in Nitrification.
Nitrification occurs in two steps that are carried out by different taxonomy groups.
This is the biological oxidation of ammonia to nitrates via the intermediary nitrite.
Nitrification is an important step in the nitrogen cycle in soil.the process of complete
Nitrification may occur through seperate organisms or entirely one organism as in commamoy
bacteria.
The transformation of ammonia to nitrates is usually the limiting step of Nitrification.
Nitrification is an aerobic process performed by small groups of autotrophic bacteria and archae.
Nitrification is actually the net result of two distinct processes; the oxidation of ammonia (NH3)
or ammonium (NH4+) to nitrite (NO2-) by ammonia oxidizing bacteria eg nitrosomonas) and the
oxidation of Nitrite NO2-) to nitrate (NO3-) by the nitrite oxidizing bacteria eg (Nitrobacter)
Nitrogen fixation in the biosphere.
-atmosphere fixation by lightning.
-biological fixation by certain microbes alone or in a symbiotic relationship with some plants and
animals.
-Industrial fixation.
DECAY
The proteins made by plants enter and pass through webs just as carbohydrates do at each vopic
level their metabolism produces organic nitrogen compound that returns to the environment
cheaply as excretions. The final beneficiaries of these materials are the microorganisms of decay.
They break down the molecules in excretions and dead organisms into ammonia.
Nitrification
Ammonia can be taken up directly by plants usually through their roots. However, most of the
ammonia produced by decay is converted into nitrates.
There is also a bacteria in the genus Nitrospira that is able to carry out both steps; Ammonia to
nitrite, Nitrite to nitrate. This ability is called comomox (for complete ammonia oxidation) in
addition, both soil and water contain archae/microbes that convert ammonia to nitrates. They are
more abundant than the nitrifying bacteria and may turn out to play an important role in the
nitrogen cycle eg. Legumes.
Denitrification
The process above removes nitrogen from the atmosphere and pass it through ecosystems.
Denitrification reduces nitrates and nitrites to nitro gas this replenishing the atmosphere. In the
process several intermediaries are formed.

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