Production of NO2/-/ and N2O by nitrifying bacteria at reduced concentrations of oxygen

The influence of oxygen concentration on the production of NO2(-) and N2O by nitrifying marine bacteria of the genus Nitrosomonas is investigated. Pure cultures of the ammonium-oxiding bacteria isolated from the Western Tropical Atlantic Ocean were grown at oxygen partial pressures from 0.005 to 0.2 atm, and concentrations of N2O in the air above the growth medium and dissolved NO2(-) were determined. Decreasing oxygen concentrations are observed to induce a marked decrease in NO2(-) production rates and increase in N2O evolution, leading to an increase of the relative yield of N2O with respect to NO2(-) from 0.3% to nearly 10%. Similar yields of N2O at atmospheric oxygen levels are found for nitrifying bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosolobus, Nitrosospira and Nitrosococcus, while nitrite-oxydizing bacteria and a dinoflagellate did not produce detectable quantities of N2O. Results support the view that nitrification is a major source of N2O in the environment.