Nitrification

n. process of treating with a nitrate (Chemistry)

Nitrification is the biological oxidation of ammonia with oxygen into nitrite followed by the oxidation of these nitrites into nitrates. Nitrification is an important step in the nitrogen cycle in soil. This process was discovered by the Russian microbiologist, Sergei Winogradsky.The oxidation of ammonia into nitrite, and the subsequent oxidation to nitrate is performed by two different bacteria (nitrifying bacteria). The first step is done by bacteria of (amongst others) the genus Nitrosomonas and Nitrosococcus. The second step (oxidation of nitrite into nitrate) is (mainly) done by bacteria of the genus Nitrobacter, with both steps producing energy to be coupled to ATP synthesis. Nitrifying organisms are chemoautotrophs, and use carbon dioxide as their carbon source for growth.
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Nitrification /ni·tri·fi·ca·tion/ the bacterial oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate in the soil. ni·tri·fi·ca·tion n. 1. [more]Nitrification - Community and Resources

Noun
1. the chemical process in which a nitro group is added to an organic compound (or substituted for another group in an organic compound)
(hypernym) chemical process, chemical change, chemical action
(derivation) nitrify, nitrogenize, nitrogenise
2. the oxidation of ammonium compounds in dead organic material into nitrates and nitrites by soil bacteria (making nitrogen available to plants)
(hypernym) oxidation, oxidization, oxidisation
(derivation) nitrify
(classification) plant, flora, plant life

n. nitrification, process of treating with a nitrate (Chemistry)