Articles tagged with Nitrogen
Researchers at Caltech have developed a new way of fixing nitrogen, inspired by how microbes do it, which could hold the potential for two major benefits: ease of production and understanding natural nitrogen fixation. The technology being developed is simpler and more efficient than previous methods, making it possible to study fixati...
The Moscow State University has opened a new cryobank to store biotechnological plant material, including rare species cell cultures. The facility aims to prevent cross-contamination by storing biological samples in nitrogen vapor, not liquid nitrogen.
A study published in Nature found that diesel vehicle emissions significantly underestimate real-world nitrogen oxide levels by up to 50%. The research revealed that excess emissions from 2015 affected 13.2 million tons of nitrogen oxide, leading to 38,000 premature deaths worldwide.
Researchers at the Australian National University have identified two rare plant species, Daviesia schwarzenegger and Daviesia devito, named after the iconic movie duo. The plants are found in South Eastern Australia and are ecologically important nitrogen fixers, but are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss.
A study by researchers at the University of the Basque Country found that feeding broccoli plants with ammonium instead of nitrate increases the production of glucosinolates, which have anticarcinogenic properties. The findings suggest a potential new fertilizer treatment to mitigate environmental problems
Researchers at UNH have developed a new tool to measure both carbon and nitrogen footprints, aiming to reduce campus activities' impact on water quality and climate change. The Nitrogen Footprint Tool Network includes seven institutions, tracking emissions from food waste, energy consumption, and transportation.
Researchers in China have developed a battery prototype that captures atmospheric nitrogen to generate electricity, offering a promising alternative to existing lithium-nitrogen batteries. The battery's energy output is brief but comparable to other lithium-metal batteries, making it a potential solution for renewable energy storage.
A team from Japan successfully generated indistinguishable photons using a novel single-photon source, nitrogen impurity centers in III-V compound semiconductors. The photons' high degree of indistinguishability is essential for quantum information technology such as quantum teleportation and linear optical quantum computation.
Scientists used X-ray laser pulses to investigate how energy from light transforms a molecule, revealing a mechanism for protecting biomolecules against light-induced damage. The research provides insight into excited state proton transfers in DNA and other molecules.
A KSU engineer has patented a waterlike polymer that transforms into a ceramic at high temperatures, offering valuable thermal, optical and electronic properties. The liquid polymer can be mass-produced and used to create lightweight ceramics, jet engine blades and battery electrodes.
Researchers at the University of Kansas found that weather whiplash, caused by changing climate patterns, will degrade Midwest's drinking water due to extreme fluctuations between drought and floods. This leads to a spike in nitrogen levels in surface waters, forcing municipalities to construct costly nitrate-removal facilities.
Scientists analyzed seabird bones to find evidence of a significant change in the North Pacific's food web, likely caused by human activities such as industrial fishing. The study found that petrels' trophic level had declined over time, suggesting a shift in the structure of the ocean's ecosystem.
Researchers have discovered a critical finding about Alexander disease, a rare and fatal neurological disorder. Using mouse models, they found that the GFAP protein behind the symptoms is broken down more rapidly than previously thought.
Researchers created a new model to predict decompression sickness severity after deep-sea dives. The model estimates both the risk and severity of symptoms, allowing divers to better plan their ascents and prevent painful and potentially fatal results.
Researchers at FAU have created a method to combine exhaust gas purification with the synthesis of high-value products. Nitrogen oxides can be used to produce balsalazide and sulfasalazine, two drugs for chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.
A new study finds that colder climates lead to lower atmospheric CO2 levels and increased carbon sequestration in the deep ocean. Deep-sea corals reveal that phytoplankton efficiency is higher during colder periods, reducing nutrients in the surface Southern Ocean, leading to more efficient carbon locking away.
A new model pinpoints sources of nitrogen pollution in Long Island Sound, helping municipalities identify actions to alleviate it. The tool, developed by UConn ecologist Jamie Vaudrey, shows the impact of different actions on nitrogen runoff and provides a detailed analysis of 116 estuaries, rivers, and harbors.
Researchers at MIT developed a method to produce high-resolution images of individual biomolecules without requiring crystallization. The technique uses nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond crystals to detect tiny variations in magnetic fields, achieving resolutions up to 100 times higher than conventional methods.
Researchers predicted unusual nitrides of hafnium and chromium with high-energy groups, potentially usable as powerful explosives at relatively low pressures. They also discovered a range of new compounds with unique properties, including high hardness and electrical conductivity.
A UCLA-led team of scientists has discovered a white dwarf star with an atmosphere rich in carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen, the components of water. The study suggests that the planetary system associated with the white dwarf contains materials necessary for life.
Researchers have found evidence of an interaction between nitrogen and oxygen in ancient rocks from South Africa, shedding light on the evolution of life alongside changes in the Earth's surface. The discovery fills a 400-million-year gap in geochemical records and provides new insights into the 'Great Oxidation Event.'
Researchers have created a novel method to produce ammonia at room temperature, utilizing enzymes derived from nature, which also generates a small electrical current. This process could potentially lead to a less energy-intensive source of ammonia used worldwide as a vital fertilizer.
African Lake Kivu's unique chemistry suggests more nitrogen in ancient oceans, enabling marine organisms to thrive during multi-cellularity emergence. This finding implies phosphorous limitations shaped early ocean life, paving the way for Eukaryote evolution.
Researchers develop simple method for coating nanoparticles with urea molecules to slow breakdown and release nitrogen. Initial field tests show promising results in reducing fertilizer need by half.
Scientifics found that lower leaves of corn and Miscanthus are less efficient in low light, leading to a 10% loss in potential yield. This 'Achilles' heel' likely applies to other C4 crops, such as sugarcane and sorghum.
Researchers discovered that yeast breaks down amino acids to create a pool of nitrogen for use in protein synthesis, contrary to conventional wisdom. This finding could lead to better control of fermentation and improved wine quality.
Researchers have discovered a pathway to produce nitrogen gas without microbial involvement, challenging long-held assumptions about nitrous oxide formation. This breakthrough could lead to practical applications for reducing excess nitrogen in the environment and mitigating eutrophication.
A recently restored floodplain along a Mississippi tributary removed almost as much nitrogen as a natural floodplain, significantly reducing chemical pollutants in the river. The study's findings suggest that reconnecting rivers to their floodplains can help improve water quality and reduce the 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Mexico.
Researchers developed a crop model to predict optimal nitrogen fertilizer rates for corn, improving accuracy and reducing losses. The model can assist with nitrogen management and mitigate environmental concerns.
Researchers at Cornell University discovered a biological mechanism that converts nitrogen-based fertilizer into nitrous oxide, increasing atmospheric levels by 120%. The enzyme cytochrome P460 produced in ammonia-oxidizing bacteria leads to nitrous oxide production as a chemical coping strategy.
The Bay of Bengal has been identified as a new 'dead zone' with low oxygen levels, impacting its role in the global ocean's nutrient balance. Microbial communities can remove nitrogen, but the low oxygen concentrations limit their activity.
Researchers at Warsaw's Institute of Physical Chemistry discovered nitrogen capable of forming six chemical bonds, breaking the octet rule. The discovery suggests new possibilities for compounds and potentially interesting applications.
Researchers at Rice University have created a multifunctional reagent from pine tree terpenoids, enabling the rapid synthesis of nitrogen- and oxygen-containing molecules in one step. This process cuts waste and saves money for manufacturers by using biorenewable and cost-effective methods.
Researchers at Vienna University of Technology developed a new method to create durable quantum states in nitrogen atoms and microwaves, increasing the lifetime of quantum memory by more than an order of magnitude. This breakthrough enables important quantum-technological applications with faster data processing times.
Reduced nitrogen input from atmospheric depositions results in lower nitrate concentrations in reservoir waters, leading to increased dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and phosphate levels. This causes algae growth and affects water quality.
A liquid ocean beneath Pluto's surface is suggested as the best explanation for its unique features, including Sputnik Planitia. The study provides evidence for a subsurface ocean and challenges traditional theories about Pluto's composition.
A high-protein diet from mostly meat may increase the risk of heart failure in postmenopausal women. The study found that total dietary protein intake was significantly higher in women who developed heart failure compared to those who did not, while vegetable protein intake appeared to be protective.
The legume-rhizobia symbiosis significantly impacts the microbial community in plant roots, leading to changes in bacterial composition and stability. The absence of symbiosis results in drastic alterations to the root microbiome, affecting plant growth and nitrogen uptake.
A new study by the University of Texas at Austin reveals that seabed microbes in the Arctic Ocean remove substantial quantities of nitrogen, accounting for 5% of global ocean nitrogen removal. The finding highlights the critical role of the Arctic in maintaining a balanced global nitrogen budget.
Researchers discover that certain bacteria can fix nitrogen, a limiting nutrient in the ocean. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient marine ecosystems and potentially even 'fertilize' the surrounding habitat.
Researchers trigger asymmetric autocatalytic reactions using nitrogen-15 isotope, producing chiral organic intermediates. This breakthrough uses the smallest possible chiral induction via the difference between nitrogen-14 and -15 isotopes.
A study published in Ecology Letters examines the relationship between agricultural runoff and harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, revealing that managing landscapes at watershed levels can improve water quality. Reservoirs are identified as areas where nutrient loads could be diminished without affecting silica concentrations.
Washington State University biologist Mechthild Tegeder has made a groundbreaking discovery in increasing soybean yield by up to 36% through the use of specialized bacteria. The breakthrough could help address global food security challenges while reducing environmental pollution.
Researchers have found that snotty gobble can kill gorse, blackberry, and Scotch broom without damaging native shrubs. The study suggests snotty gobble could be an effective native biocontrol agent for major invasive shrubs in Australia.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment have proposed a framework that accounts for the damages caused by reactive nitrogen, estimating the dollars-and-cents cost of nitrogen pollution. The tool will help integrate nitrogen costs into decisions made by agencies and groups.
Bacterial nitrogenase produces ammonia by combining atmospheric nitrogen with protons and electrons, moving one electron at a time between symmetrical halves. The enzyme's two-stage engine works efficiently through complex communication between the two halves.
A team of researchers from Utah State University and other institutions found that the two symmetrical halves of nitrogenase work together to regulate electron movements. This cooperative effort allows for more efficient conversion of nitrogen into ammonia, a crucial process for food production and energy development.
Researchers found that bonobos' diets differ with social rank in males and reproductive stages in females, revealing a high protein diet during pregnancy and an energy-rich diet during lactation. These findings suggest that the diet of great apes may be influenced by sociodemographic factors.
A new study in New Zealand found that higher stocking rates per grazing area led to less nitrogen leached to groundwater, contradicting the notion that more cows result in increased leaching. The experiment showed a decline in NO3-N leached per hectare with increasing stocking rate and decreasing nitrogen intake and output per cow.
Researchers found that planting a multi-species mixture of cover crops increases ecosystem services, including weed suppression, nitrogen retention, and aboveground biomass. The study suggests that designing cover-crop mixes can lead to greater multifunctionality in agroecosystems.
Experts warn of severe threats to ecosystems due to nitrogen deposition from fertilizer use and sewage. A global network is needed to monitor and address this issue in Latin America and BRICS nations, which are the largest users of nitrogen fertilizer.
Air quality monitoring data from 2005-2014 reveals significant variability in London's road pollutants. Despite improvements, some areas continue to exceed EU limits for nitrogen dioxide levels; however, other pollutants like fine particulate matter and black carbon have seen notable decreases.
Researchers have received a grant to study ways of reducing fertilizer use in high-temperature agricultural regions. By modifying fertilization and irrigation practices, nitrogen losses to the atmosphere can be reduced by 50 percent.
Increasing nitrogen concentrations significantly impact purslane's carotenoid and chlorophyll content. Researchers found that higher nitrogen levels increased chlorophyll and beta-carotene levels in the plant.
Climate change contributes to severe algal blooms in the Chesapeake Bay through increased precipitation variability. Nitrogen-rich agricultural runoff, exacerbated by changing weather patterns, leads to toxic algae growth and hypoxia, harming humans, marine life, and fisheries.
A new metabolic engineering technique could significantly reduce the cost and environmental impact of producing liquid biofuels and biochemicals. The approach eliminates the need for antibiotics during biofuel production by giving producer microbes an advantage over unwanted invaders.
A 12-year study found that wider riparian buffer zones were more efficient at removing nitrogen from agricultural runoff than narrower ones. The location of the buffer zone and soil conditions also played a role in nitrogen removal efficiency.
A new U of T Scarborough study identified rice varieties that can reduce nitrogen waste and minimize environmental pollution. The research found that certain chemicals produced by the roots of these crops can significantly reduce nitrogen capture inefficiencies in soil microbes.
A new study suggests that improvements in air quality over the Potomac watershed led to recent progress on water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. Researchers found a nearly universal improvement in water quality, with decreasing nitrate concentrations and reversing nitrogen saturation in the basin.
A novel nontoxic process generates larger ultrathin sheets of 2-D nanosheets, increasing the material's surface area by 20 times, which could expand its commercial applications. The controlled gas exfoliation process separates 2D nanomaterials for use in separation and catalysis.