nitrifier

Senses

1. 1.

   to nitrify

   to oxidize ammonia or ammonium to nitrite or nitrate, especially through bacterial action in soil

2. 2.

   to add nitrogen compounds to

   to treat or combine with nitric acid or nitrates

Examples

• "Les bactéries nitrifiantes nitrifieront l'ammoniac dans le sol."

  Nitrifying bacteria will nitrify ammonia in the soil.

• "On doit nitrifier le compost pour améliorer sa qualité nutritive."

  One must nitrify the compost to improve its nutritional quality.

• "Le processus de nitrification nitrifierait le substrat en quelques semaines."

  The nitrification process would nitrify the substrate in a few weeks.

Usage

Primarily a scientific/technical term used in soil chemistry, microbiology, and agriculture. The noun nitrification (the process) is more commonly encountered than the verb itself. Related to the adjective nitrifiants (nitrifying) used in phrases like bactéries nitrifiantes.