Controlling environmental nitrogen through microbial metabolism

The major sources of environmental nitrogen are the result of process intensification by human activities such as the chemical synthesis of nitrogenous fertilizers, internal-combustion engines, intensive farming and the use of xenobiotic chemicals in industrial processes. Recent advances in the biochemistry, genetics and ecology of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria can now be exploited in the control of environmental pollution from these sources. However, frequently, biotreatment must be combined with physical and chemical processes to achieve satisfactory remediation.