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Biodigester effluent fertilizer quality (IRRI)
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====== Nitrate, NO3- ====== * Nitrates are an important nutrient for plants. Crops such as tobacco, potatoes and tomatoes prefer nitrate as their source of Nitrogen. Nitrates are transformed from nitrites, NO2-, by nitrifying bacteria and Ammonia can be oxidized into nitrates or nitrites.<ref>E. I. UWAH*, J. ABAH, N. P. NDAHI and V. O. OGUGBUAJA. CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF NITRATE AND NITRITE IN SOILS AND SOME LEAFY VEGETABLES OBTAINED IN MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA. Journal of Applied Sciences in Environmental Sanitation. University of Maiduguri. August 2009.</ref> Fertilizers in nitrate form are susceptible to potential leaching and losses through gaseous emissions during dentrification or nitrification.<ref>M.L. Vitosh, Extension Specialist. N-P-K FERTILIZERS. Michigan State University Agricultural Extension Bulletin. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100612165241/http://www.canr.msu.edu/vanburen/e-896.htm http://web.archive.org/web/20100612165241/http://www.canr.msu.edu/vanburen/e-896.htm].</ref> * In excess (at about 5 milligrams per liter) nitrates in lakes and streams can lead to excessive growth of alga, eutrophication, and thus a loss of dissolved oxygen. Reduced levels of dissolved oxygen can cause fish deaths as well as reduced growth of native plant vegetation.<ref>U.S. Geological Survey. USGS Water Quality Information. http://water.usgs.gov/owq/FAQ.htm</ref> * Animals and humans cannot use inorganic forms of nitrogen and if nitrate does exceed 10 milligrams per liter in drinking water, it can cause interfere with blood-oxygen levels and lead to methemoglobinemia (or blue baby syndrome) in infants and gastric cancer.<ref>U.S. Geological Survey. USGS Water Quality Information. http://water.usgs.gov/owq/FAQ.htm</ref><ref>C Kameswara Rao. Toxicity of Nitrates and Nitrites in Plants. Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education. Bangalore, India. July, 2007.</ref> *Leafy vegetables in particular, under different environmental condition's, can accumulate nitrates to potentially harmful concentrations. These vegetables include Brassicaceae (rocket, radish and mustard), Chenopodiaceae (beetroot, Swiss chard and spinach), Amaranthaceae (Amaranthus), Asteraceae (lettuce) and Apiaceae (celery and parsley). The general limits of nitrates from leafy vegetables and drinking water is 100-170 mg/day of human consumption.<ref>E. I. UWAH*, J. ABAH, N. P. NDAHI and V. O. OGUGBUAJA. CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF NITRATE AND NITRITE IN SOILS AND SOME LEAFY VEGETABLES OBTAINED IN MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA. Journal of Applied Sciences in Environmental Sanitation. University of Maiduguri. August 2009.</ref> * Summary: While reducing nitrate levels is an important factor in measuring effluent being returned to rivers and streams, having higher nitrate levels can be a benefit for fertilizer applications on crops as long as the nitrate levels in the fruits and veggies themselves remain below limits required for human consumption levels. This can mean that nitrate application is better for crops in their seedling and vegetative stage, while application should be reduced during the flowering and fruiting stage. Also their should be a crop specific application of nitrates, where leafy vegetables receive lower rates of nitrate application.
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