Where does nitrate and nitrite come from?
Nitrate and nitrite are two nitrogen compounds that are needed by plants and animals to live and grow. They occur naturally in soil, water, and air. Nitrate and nitrite are also made in the body. In industry, the majority of nitrate is used as fertilizers for crops or lawns.
What are the main sources of nitrate and nitrite in water?
Nitrate occurs naturally and at safe and healthy levels in some foods (such as spinach and carrots) and comes from natural processes, such as plant decay. Nitrate is in many fertilizers used on yards, golf courses, and crops. Other sources of nitrate include discharge from sewage systems and animal wastes.
Where are nitrates and nitrites found?
Because nitrite is easily oxidized to nitrate, nitrate is the compound predominantly found in groundwater and surface waters. Contamination with nitrogen containing fertilizers (e.g. potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate), or animal or human organic wastes, can raise the concentration of nitrate in water.
What is a good source of nitrate?
Vegetables particularly rich in nitrates include green leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce as well as fennel, rocket, radishes, Chinese cabbage, and parsley [3, 5, 6].
What are the sources of nitrite?
Approximately 80% of dietary nitrates are derived from vegetable consumption; sources of nitrites include vegetables, fruit, and processed meats. Nitrites are produced endogenously through the oxidation of nitric oxide and through a reduction of nitrate by commensal bacteria in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract.
Where are nitrates found in nature?
Nitrate is found naturally in a variety of vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens and root vegetables. The human body can convert nitrate into nitrite.
What are the sources of nitrate in water?
Sources of nitrogen and nitrates may include runoff or seepage from fertilized agricultural lands, municipal and industrial waste water, refuse dumps, animal feedlots, septic tanks and private sewage disposal systems, urban drainage and decaying plant debris.
What vegetables have nitrates?
Nitrates are naturally found in vegetables such as:
- Beets.
- Celery.
- Lettuce.
- Radishes and.
- Spinach.
What foods contain nitrites?
DIETARY SOURCES OF NITRATE AND NITRITE
| Nitrate content (mg/100 g fresh weight) | Vegetable varieties |
|---|---|
| Middle, 50 to <100 | Cabbage, dill, turnip, savoy cabbage |
| High, 100 to <250 | Celeriac, Chinese cabbage, endive, fennel, kohlrabi, leek, parsley |
| Very high, >250 | Celery, cress, chervil, lettuce, red beetroot, spinach, rocket (rucola) |
What foods have nitrites?
Food producers often add nitrates and nitrites to processed meats, such as bacon, ham, sausages, and hot dogs. These added compounds help to: prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Which vegetables have nitrates?
Is nitrogen a nitrate?
Nitrate is one part nitrogen plus three parts oxygen so nitrogen only makes up about 22.6 percent on the nitrate ion. Thus, a much smaller amount of nitrate nitrogen is needed to produce the same effect as the entire nitrate ion.