Nitrification - Nutrient Cycles
Ammonia or ammonium salts, are converted into nitrate in a process termed nitrification to be useful to most autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms. This process occurs in warm moist soil with near neutral pH and takes place in two steps:
- Ammonia salt or ammonia is oxidised and converted into nitrite by Nitrosomonas
2NH3 + 3O2 → 2NO-2 + 2H+ + 2H2O 65 kcal/mole
- Nitrite is further oxidised and converted into nitrate by Nitrobacter
2NO-2 → 2NO-3 17Kcal/mole