Reply #60: Gee, all this time I thought nitrogen in a usable form [View All]

[Jose Diablo]

was placed in the soil through a process called Nitrogen Fixation. Which in turn is caused by:

"Microorganisms have a central role in almost all aspects of nitrogen availability and thus for life support on earth:

* some bacteria can convert N2 into ammonia by the process termed nitrogen fixation; these bacteria are either free-living or form symbiotic associations with plants or other organisms (e.g. termites, protozoa)
* other bacteria bring about transformations of ammonia to nitrate, and of nitrate to N2 or other nitrogen gases
* many bacteria and fungi degrade organic matter, releasing fixed nitrogen for reuse by other organisms.

http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/microbes/nitrogen.htm

Now you say the vast amount of Nitrogen Fixation is caused by the decay of organic matter as indicated in process 3 above. I wonder, is this correct? How much nitrogen that can be used biologically comes from bacteria breaking down and releasing already fixed nitrogen? This is a good question.

I also wonder if nitrate is also a byproduct of the TDP. After all if the bio waste contains nitrogen, then it would be in the nitrate form usable biologically and it would make sense that nitrate would also be in the mineral waste (you know, the 7% by weight mineral byproduct). You know, turkey shit is loaded with nitrate.

When bacteria break down the decaying organic matter, aren't they in fact extracting the nitrate and releasing the already fixed nitrogen back to the soil?

You being home schooled in the fine art of gardening should be able to supply the chemistry of soil nitrogen fixing very easily. How about it, if the mineral byproduct of TDP is also nitrates, would that replenish the soil?

Remember, all that leaves the TDP process is water, oil, heat and minerals. Any free nitrogen (N2) released from the process? No? Then where does it go? Does oil contain nitrogen? No? Methane? No? Then where does the nitrogen go? Could it be transmuted to some other type of atom?

I would like to see it confirmed that the minerals coming out of the TDP do indeed contain nitrates also.

"Any want to buy a bridge?"

I presume you mean, AnyONE want to buy a bridge?

No, I do not.

All sarcasm aside, its amazing what one little electron can do. The difference better living matter and dead matter.