We ingest nitrates through the vegetables we eat, particularly leafy greens, and potentially through the water we drink. How We Ingest Nitrate and Potential Health Hazards If there is excessive rainfall or over-irrigation, nitrate will move below the plant’s root zone due to soil saturation and may eventually reach groundwater.
However, nitrate is highly soluble and readily moves with water through the soil profile. This is desirable since the majority of the nitrogen used by plants is absorbed in the nitrate form.
A good example of nitrification is when bacteria within the soil converts the ammonia from a fertilizer into nitrite and then into nitrate. Nitrogen occurs naturally in the soil in organic forms from decaying plant and animal material.īacteria in the soil convert various forms of nitrogen to nitrate, a nitrogen/oxygen ion. Feedlots, animal yards, septic systems, and other waste treatment systems are additional sources of nitrogen that is carried in waste. Nitrogen is the nutrient applied for lawn and garden care and crop production to increase productivity. Where Does Nitrate Come From and What is Nitrification? Nitrate is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and the only way it can be detected in drinking water is through submitting a sample for laboratory testing. It is when results are at or above the 10mg/L Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) that hazardous health effects become a concern among humans and animals. Historical and current water quality monitoring shows that nitrate is present in groundwater throughout much of Nebraska.
0 kommentar(er)
