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Sequential Products of Anaerobic Denitrification in Norfolk Soil Material¹

ABSTRACT

Soil samples containing tagged nitrate were incubated in a compact, small volume, glass apparatus constructed to provide internal circulation of the gaseous phase. Periodically, samples of the circulating gas were taken and analyzed directly on the mass spectrometer.

The initial gaseous denitrification product to appear was nitric oxide (NO). However, the amount of NO to appear in the gaseous phase never exceeded 5% of the tagged nitrate added to the soil. The presence of NO in the gaseous phase was closely associated with the presence of nitrite in the soil and is presumed to have arisen from the decomposition of nitrous acid.

Subsequent to the appearance of nitric oxide, nitrous oxide (N₂O) appeared in the gaseous phase. Coincident with the increase in N₂O was a decrease and eventual disappearance of NO. Following the increase in N₂O was the appearance of nitrogen gas (N₂). This increased in amount sufficient to account for 83 to 95% of the added tagged nitrate coincident with the reduction in amount and eventual disappearance of N₂O.

¹ Joint contribution, Soils Department, North Carolina State College and Eastern Soil and Water Management Research Division, ARS, USDA, Raleigh, N. C. Published with the approval of the Director of the North Carolina Agr. Exp. Sta. as Paper No. 1128 of the Journal Series. Presented before Div. III, Soil Science Society of America at Cincinnati, Ohio. Nov. 19, 1959.

² Soil Scientist, Eastern Soil and Water Management Branch, ARS, USDA and Professor of Soils, respectively.

Received for publication February 24, 1960. Accepted for publication May 5, 1960.