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When we eat nitrates, they are converted into nitrites in our digestive system, which are then converted to ammonia and disposed of by the body. Nitrites are also inorganic compounds made up of nitrogen and oxygen, but instead of three oxygen molecules they have two, NO2. Nitrates are not generally harmful unless they are consumed in massive quantities. Nitrites, on their own and in moderation, are also generally not harmful.
The prefix poly- means many and the prefix mono- means one. Therefore, polyatomic ions are composed of many atoms. Examples include: #NO_3^(-1)# and #PO_4^(-3)#. The nitrate ion #NO_3^(-1)# is composed of one nitrogen atoms and three oxygen atoms arranged with an imbalance of one extra electron.