1.3. Activation of the Biofilter
1.3.2 The Nitrification Process
In the biofilter the nitrification process will also convert the very toxic un-ionized ammonia to the less toxic nitrate :
NH3
NH4+
NO2
A typical graph that can be obtained during the nitrification process is given.
As you can see in the figure the different processes act simultaniously. The ammonium is gradually converted to nitrite which in its turn is converted to nitrate. Nitrate is accumulated as the final component in the nitrification process. As said previously the biofilter converts a toxic compound to a less toxic compound but is there also a concentration difference? Or in other words : how much nitrate- N is produced per unit of ammonium-N?
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