Date of Award:

5-1969

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Plants, Soils, and Climate

Department name when degree awarded

Soil Science

Committee Chair(s)

R. L. Smith

Committee

R. L. Smith

Committee

H. B. Peterson

Committee

H. H. Weibe

Committee

H. O. Van Orden

Abstract

Nitrite decomposition in buffer solutions of pH 3, 4, and 5 was observed to be a first order reaction with rate constants (k) 6.39 x 10-3, 1.15 x 10-3, and 0.17 x 10-3, respectively. When 10 grams of two different soils were introduced, the reaction was catalyzed in all three pH conditions studied. This effect, however, was more pronounced in pH 5.

When 10 grams of soil were introduced, all the added nitrite was not recovered. The deficit ranged from 17 to 30 parts per million when 150 parts per million nitrite nitrogen was added and allowed to react for 6 hours. The deficits seemed to increase when the incubated soil samples were used. The major portion of the deficit was suspected to be due to the formation of N2 gas.

The effect of three amino acids was studied on the nitrite decomposition. Tryptophan and tyrosine increased the deficit whereas cystine did not have any effect.

Checksum

9c0d82b526e2ec987e5ba4883f048d58

Included in

Soil Science Commons

Share

COinS