Question

Is denitrification a reduction or oxidation?

Answer 1

Denitrification is a redox reaction.

Denitrification:

1. It is a microbially mediated process in which nitrate is used as energy by denitrifiers, or soil bacteria, who then reduce it in various forms of gaseous emissions.
2. Nitrate is lifted over by plant uptake and denitrified when soil conditions are favorable.
3. Denitrification is a microbially mediated process that involves the stepwise reduction of nitrate to nitrite (NO₂^-), nitric oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and, eventually, dinitrogen (N₂) by the enzymes nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, nitric oxide reductase, nitrous oxide reductase, and nitrous oxide
4. The entire denitrification process is represented by a redox reaction:

2 NO₃ + 10 e^- + 12 H ------------→ N₂ + 6 H₂O.