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Understanding Nitrogen
The Basics
Nitrogen is the most
abundant element in the
earth’s atmosphere,
making up approximately
78%. Nitrogen is
essential to life but in
its gaseous form is
almost unusable to
plants and animals.
Fixation is the process
of converting nitrogen
into a more useable
form. After fixation,
nitrogen is incorporated
into organisms then
returned to the
environment and back
into the air. This
entire process is called
the nitrogen cycle. For
more detailed
information and a
diagram of the Nitrogen
Cycle, click the link
below.
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9s.html
Testing
Nitrogen testing is
important because of the
many environmental
effects of nitrogenous
compounds. High
nitrogen levels can
cause eutrophication,
toxicity, reduction in
disinfection efficiency,
depletion of dissolved
oxygen and serious
public health effects.
Sources of nitrogen can
be both natural and
man-caused. Examples of
man-caused sources are
run-off from feed lots
and urban areas, septic
tank leach fields, and
municipal and industrial
wastewater.
Testing and Regulations
The NPDES/TPDES regulates
the allowable nitrogen
limits for wastewater
and sludge for land
application. EPA's SDWA
regulates nitrogen
limits for drinking
water and groundwater.
See TALEM's
Environmental Guide for
those limits as well.
Nitrogen testing can be
confusing because of the
variety of
nitrogen-containing
compounds that may
require analysis.
Nitrogen testing can
include
·
Ammonia (NH3-N)
·
Nitrite (NO2-N)
·
Nitrate + Nitrite
(NO2+NO3 N)
·
Nitrate (N03-N)
·
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen
(TKN)
·
Total Organic Nitrogen
(TON)
·
Total Nitrogen (Total
N)
For municipal wastewater
nitrate (NO3-N) is
typically required at
permit renewal time.
Ammonia (NH3-N) is
typically required as
part of the routine
testing requirements in
the plant permit.
Nitrate and nitrite are
recommended for drinking
water and
groundwater. |
