denitrification

American  

[dee-nahy-truh-fi-key-shuhn] / diˌnaɪ trə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

Chemistry, Biology.

1. the bacterial or other microbial process in which nitrates and nitrites are reduced or removed from soil, water, or air by their conversion into nitrogenous gases: This process is environmentally significant, as in the treatment of wastewater, which depends on denitrification to eliminate toxic levels of nitrogen, making the water safe for plants and animals.

   We’re observing the nitrogen activity in salt marsh soil, with a particular interest in the last step of the nitrogen cycle—that is, denitrification.

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Etymology

Origin of denitrification

First recorded in 1880–85; de- + nitrification

Example Sentences

The team concluded that shrinking sea ice intensified a process known as benthic denitrification.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2026

Nitrogen isotopes preserved within fossil foraminifera enabled the scientists to track past changes in column denitrification in the water.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2024

Third, the process of denitrification occurs, whereby bacteria, such as Pseudomonas and Clostridium, convert the nitrates into nitrogen gas, allowing it to re-enter the atmosphere.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The grasses on those freshwater wetlands clean water through their stems, and they have a biochemical effect on water called denitrification, Jacob said.

From Washington Times • Feb. 1, 2019

This loss of nitrogen by denitrification can be checked by keeping the soil well ventilated.

From The First Book of Farming by Goodrich, Charles Landon