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Inorganic Nitrogen Transformations through the Oxidation and Reduction of Sulfur Compounds¹

ABSTRACT

Inorganic nitrogen transformations result from the chemical oxidation and reduction of sulfur compounds. In the reduction of nitrate by NaHS, Na₂S₂O₄ in both acidic and basic solutions, nitrite was not obtained suggesting that it may not be one of the major intermediate products in such reductions. Hydroxylamine was one of the intermediate products in the reduction of nitrite in acidic solution. Ammonia was not produced appreciably in the reduction of nitrate and nitrite. Due to the interference of hydroxylamine with Nessler reagent, ammonium ion formed in the reduction of hydroxylamine by sulfur compounds could not be measured quantitatively. However, a larger amount of ammonium-N in the reduction of hydroxylamine by H₂SO₃ was observed. Nitrite, hydroxylammonium, and ammonium ions were never found in the solution in large quantities presumably due to (i) the formation of H₂N₂O₂ which is unstable with respect to the formation of N₂O (1,2), (ii) the interaction between nitrite and hydroxylammonium ions in the formation of N₂O (1,3), and (iii) the oxidation of hydroxylamine or hydrazine by sulfur compounds to form N₂O and N₂.

Key Words: nitrate • nitrite

¹ Contribution from the Dep. of Science, Fayetteville State College, Fayetteville, North Carolina. This investigation is partly supported by the National Science Foundation (GE 2708). Presented before Div. S-2 of the Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Aug. 24, 1966, at Stillwater, Okla.

² Professor of Chemistry.

Received for publication December 5, 1966. Accepted for publication February 20, 1967.