Water and Wastewater Terms Beginning D

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

denitrification (dee-NYE-truh-fuh-KAY-shun)

  1. The anoxic biological reduction of nitrate nitrogen to nitrogen gas.
  2. The removal of some nitrogen from a system.
  3. An anoxic process that occurs when nitrite or nitrate ions are reduced to nitrogen gas and nitrogen bubbles are formed as a result of this process. The bubbles attach to the biological floc and float the floc to the surface of the secondary clarifiers. This condition is often the cause of rising sludge observed in secondary clarifiers or gravity thickeners. Also see nitrification.