Premium
Effect of Microorganisms on the Sorption and Fate of Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide in Soil
Author(s) -
Ghiorse William C.,
Alexander Martin
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1976.00472425000500030002x
Subject(s) - sulfur dioxide , environmental chemistry , nitrate , pollutant , chemistry , microorganism , sulfur , nitrogen dioxide , nitrogen , nitrite , sorption , sulfate , organic matter , inorganic chemistry , bacteria , adsorption , organic chemistry , biology , genetics
Sulfur dioxide was rapidly removed from the gas phase in contact with both nonsterile and sterile soil so that viable microorganisms are not directly involved in removal of this pollutant from the atmosphere. Sulfate was formed from the SO 2 in nonsterile and sterile soil. About one‐fourth of the sulfur from the SO 2 introduced was not recovered in inorganic form, but the recovery was quantitative if the soil was first ignited to destroy organic matter. Nitrogen dioxide was also readily lost from the gas phase in contact with nonsterile and sterile soil, and both nitrite and nitrate were generated. The role of microorganisms in the fate of this pollutant is in the conversion of the nitrite to nitrate.