Abstract
SINCE comprehensive treatment of the biochemical reduction of nitrate of Gayon and Dupetit1 it has been generally assumed in denitrification studies that nitric oxide, and particularly nitrogen gas, evolved either from cell preparations or soil systems under moderate conditions of acidity (pH 5.0–7.0) and temperature (28°-30° C), are dissimilatory products of ‘nitrate or nitrite respiration’2–4. Recent evidence has shown, however, that nitric oxide can also be formed from nitrite in sterile, moderately acid systems when certain transition-like metals are present5. Subsequent experiments to be presented in this communication further indicate that nitrogen gas can be formed as a result of reacting potassium nitrite and ferrous sulphate.
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References
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WULLSTEIN, L., GILMOUR, C. Non-enzymatic Formation of Nitrogen Gas. Nature 210, 1150–1151 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/2101150a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2101150a0
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