ScienceAugust 29, 2026

nitrification

NY-truh-fih-KAY-shun

Definition

A biological process in which ammonia or ammonium is converted into nitrite and then nitrate by specific bacteria.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'nitrum' (native soda or saltpeter) and the suffix '-fication' (making), it entered English in the 19th century to describe the chemical or biological formation of nitrates.

In the news

The article uses nitrification to describe one of the key microbial nitrogen-cycling processes occurring in stream sediments, which helps determine how nutrients are transformed and move through freshwater ecosystems.

Climate, land use shape bacterial diversity and nitrogen cycling in headwater sediments

Read the full article ↗

Bioengineer.org

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