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Nitrification in sediment cores measured with acetylene inhibition
Author(s) -
Sloth Niels P.,
Nielsen Lars P.,
Blackburn T. Henry
Publication year - 1992
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.1992.37.5.1108
Subject(s) - nitrification , sediment , environmental chemistry , acetylene , incubation , oxygen , estuary , environmental science , chemistry , nitrogen , geology , oceanography , geomorphology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
A new and accurate method for measuring nitrification in intact sediment cores is presented. Sediment‐water fluxes of NH 4 + were measured for 4–8 h in individual cores before and after inhibition of nitrification with acetylene. The difference in the fluxes corresponded to the rate of nitrification. Oxygen depletion of the water during incubation was avoided by oxygen enrichment of the overlying gas phase. Results from a sandy sediment in a Danish estuary give rates of 0.60±0.07 mmol N m −2 d −1 .