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Some Aspects of the Problem of Evaluating Denitrification in Soils¹

ABSTRACT

There is need for methods which will enable one to study directly the gaseous products of nitrate reduction in the field. Accurate determinations of complete nitrogen balances for laboratory soil systems are necessary to evaluate the extent of denitrification in the field. The mass spectrometer and the infra-red spectrophotometer were used to determine quantitatively the production of nitrogen (N₂) gas and nitrogen oxides, respectively, from laboratory soil containing nitrate nitrogen enriched with N¹⁵. Chemical analyses of total organic and inorganic nitrogen were made to complete the nitrogen balance sheets. From 89 to 100% of the total nitrogen contained in a closed system was accounted for by direct analyses in this manner.

¹ Contribution from the Department of Agronomy, Illinois Agr. Exp. Sta., Urbana, Ill. Published with the approval of the Director.

² Assistant and Associate Professor in Soil Fertility, University of Illinois, respectively. The authors are indebted to the Chemistry Department, University of Illinois, for the use of its instruments for some phases of the analytical work.

Received for publication April 4, 1955.