Nearly one-fourth of all marine animals, including about 7,000 species of fish, depend upon coral reefs for some part of their life cycle. Learn More at AskFWC Get FWC News Feeds
Although nitrites are the nitrogen compound chiefly used in meat curing, nitrates are used in certain specialty curing processes where a long release of nitrite from parent nitrate stores is needed. The use of nitrates in food preservation is controversial.
Some bacteria in the water change this ammonia to produce nitrite which is then converted by other bacteria to nitrate. Nitrates (NO 3-) are an oxidized form of nitrogen and are formed by combining oxygen and nitrogen. Nitrates also come from the earth. Soil contains organic matter, which contains nitrogen compounds.nimals get nitrogen by eating plants and other animals. Just like animals, plants require nitrogen to grow and survive. But they do not get nitrogen by consuming proteins like animals do. Plants get nitrogen from water and from the soil. They get nitrogen by absorbing it in the form of nitrates and ammonium.