KINETIC FORMULATION OF THE DENITRIFICATION PROCESS IN SOIL

Abstract

Kinetic formulation of denitrification process in soil was developed based on a model of competitive Michaelis-Menten type enzyme kinetics. Several values of parameters were chosen to plot the concentrations of NO−3, NO−2, N2O-N and N2-N at various times of incubation under different initial concentrations of NO−3. According to the model the disappearance rate of NO−3 was found to be independent of initial concentration of NO−3 and was nearly constant, similar to zero order rate of disappearance. The initial rate of NO−2 formation was independent of the NO−3 concentration. However, the maximum concentration of NO−2 and the time at which the maximum was found were found to be dependent upon the NO−3 concentration. When there was very little accumulation of NO−2 in the system, the initial rate of N2O formation was found to be independent of NO−3 concentration. However, if there was high accumulation of NO−2, the initial rate of N2O formation became inversely related to NO−3 concentration. The initiation of N2 formation was generally slower as the concentration of NO−3 increased. The composition of gas mixture, N2O and N2, was found to vary depending upon the initial NO−3 concentration and with the time of incubation. The formulation presented herein describes the features of denitrification experimentally observed fairly well.