Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Conversion of ammonia to dinitrogen in wastewater by Nitrosomonas europaea
N K Shrestha1, S Hadano, T Kamachi
1Department of Bioengineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta, Yokohama, Japan.
Abstract:
Because Nitrosomonas europaea contains ammonia-oxidizing enzyme, nitrite reductase, and nitrous oxide reductase, the conversion of ammonia to dinitrogen was tried with different reaction conditions. In aerobic reaction conditions, ammonium was converted to nitrite (NO2-), while under oxygen-limiting or oxygen-free conditions, NO2(-)-N formed from ammonia oxidation by N. europaea was reduced to N2O and dinitrogen with 22% conversion. During denitrification, optimal pH for the production of N2O and dinitrogen was found to be 7.0-8.0. Dinitrogen was not produced in acidic pH <7.0. A low partial oxygen pressure as well as oxygen-free conditions are favorable for high production of dinitrogen.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
2° Amines to N-Nitrosamines: Reaction with NaNO2
1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Mechanism
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation
Microbes and the Nitrogen Cycle

