Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this...

The Nitrogen Cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen atoms, present in all proteins and DNA, are recycled between abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. However, the primary form of nitrogen on Earth is nitrogen gas, which cannot be used by most animals and plants. Thus, nitrogen gas must first be converted into a usable form by nitrogen-fixing bacteria before it can be cycled through other living organisms. The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and animal waste products in human agriculture has greatly influenced the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Climate-driven fuel-cost-based assessment of raw and torrefied biomass for greenhouse heating across different climatic regions of Korea.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Comparative emission and energy performance of biochar production versus in-situ burning of Gorean agrobyproducts.

PloS one·2026

Same author

Increased ruminoreticular temperature after simultaneous lumpy skin disease and foot-and-mouth disease vaccination in Hanwoo (<i>Bos taurus coreanae</i>) cows.

Journal of veterinary science·2026

Same author

Unveiling the Hidden Interface: Pre-SEI Governs Li Morphology in Anode-Free Li Metal Batteries.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026

Same author

Structural brain MRI abnormalities in <i>SCN1A</i>-, <i>SCN2A</i>-, <i>SCN3A</i>-, and <i>SCN8A</i>-related epilepsies: a cohort study.

Frontiers in neurology·2026

Same author

Prediction of Retinopathy of Prematurity and Treatment in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Using Machine Learning on Nationwide Non-Imaging Clinical Data.

Neonatology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2025

A Microfluidic Platform to Study Bioclogging in Porous Media

A Microfluidic Platform to Study Bioclogging in Porous Media

Published on: October 13, 2022

Microbial nitrogen bubble formation in porous media.

Daehyun Kim^1,2, Hojeong Kang¹, Leon A van Paassen³

¹School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

|July 8, 2024

Summary

Microbially produced nitrogen gas bubbles can improve soil by reducing saturation, but their formation mechanisms require further study. This research visualizes these processes using microfluidics, offering insights for geotechnical applications.

Keywords:

Biogeochemical process Bubble formation Denitrification Monitoring and characterization Nitrogen gas Porous media

More Related Videos

Protocol for Biofilm Streamer Formation in a Microfluidic Device with Micro-pillars

Protocol for Biofilm Streamer Formation in a Microfluidic Device with Micro-pillars

Published on: August 20, 2014

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media

Published on: May 3, 2010

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2025

A Microfluidic Platform to Study Bioclogging in Porous Media

A Microfluidic Platform to Study Bioclogging in Porous Media

Published on: October 13, 2022

Protocol for Biofilm Streamer Formation in a Microfluidic Device with Micro-pillars

Protocol for Biofilm Streamer Formation in a Microfluidic Device with Micro-pillars

Published on: August 20, 2014

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media

Published on: May 3, 2010

Area of Science:

Geotechnical Engineering
Environmental Microbiology
Fluid Dynamics

Background:

Subsurface nitrogen (N₂) gas bubbles from microbial activity are explored for ground improvement to mitigate earthquake-induced soil liquefaction.
The precise mechanisms governing subsurface N₂ bubble formation and their impact on soil properties remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To visually characterize the process of microbially induced N₂ gas bubble formation using a transparent microfluidic device.
To compare N₂ gas formation with abiotic carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas formation to understand contrasting mechanisms.

Main Methods:

Utilized a microfluidic device to simulate and visualize biological N₂ gas bubble generation by nitrate-reducing bacteria.
Observed bubble nucleation, expansion through pore channels, and gas pocket formation.
Conducted comparative experiments with CO₂ gas bubble formation under varying decompression rates.

Main Results:

N₂ gas bubbles formed from limited nucleation sites, expanding into interconnected pockets and reducing water saturation over time.
Observed ebullition events where gas ganglia expelled from the device, with residual saturation around 73%.
CO₂ bubble formation showed distinct mechanisms: rapid decompression led to uniform nucleation and 41% residual saturation, while slower decompression resulted in 35% residual saturation.

Conclusions:

Microfluidic devices are effective tools for visualizing subsurface gas formation mechanisms.
The study provides insights into N₂ and CO₂ gas bubble dynamics, aiding the optimization of geotechnical applications in saturated soils.