Where does Earth's nitrogen go? Two atoms offer a clue

AI Summary

Researchers are investigating how much nitrogen microbes remove from water by converting it into gas that escapes into the atmosphere. Better estimates matter because excess nitrogen can degrade water quality and harm aquatic organisms.

Nitrogen is one of life's building blocks, but it's only helpful in the right amounts. Too much nitrogen in water, for example, can lead to poor water quality and the gradual death of aquatic organisms. Microbes remove nitrogen from water by converting it to a gas that escapes into the atmosphere. But scientists have difficulty determining how much nitrogen is removed this way.