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Nitrification and denitrification in marine sediments from Puget Sound 1
Author(s) -
Grundmanis Varis,
Murray James W.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1977.22.5.0804
Subject(s) - denitrification , benthic zone , nitrate , nitrification , environmental science , sedimentary rock , simultaneous nitrification denitrification , nitrite , environmental chemistry , oceanography , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , chemistry , geochemistry , nitrogen , organic chemistry , geotechnical engineering
The anomalous interstitial water chemistry in Puget Sound sediments (200‐m water depth) indicates an intermediate zone at 20‐ to 30‐cm depths which consists of a mixture of 90% interstitial water and 10% bottom water. Irrigation by burrowing benthic organisms is believed responsible. The vertical distribution of interstitial ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite indicates that nitrification is occurring in this intermediate sedimentary zone, with oxygen being supplied by the irrigation process. Above and below this zone denitrification predominates.