Nitrite decomposition products were studied in a flooded soil suspension maintained under different pH and redox potential conditions. The effect of a sterilant, HgCl 2 , on nitrite breakdown was also investigated. Soil suspensions were incubated for several days with the pH maintained at 4.5, 6, and 8 and the redox potential maintained at 0 and + 200 mV. Nitrite was then added to the suspensions and the decomposition products were determined by mass spectrometry. Under acid conditions significant amounts of N 2 and nitrogen oxide gases (N 2 O, NO) were formed in both the moderately reduced (+200 mV) and reduced (0 mV) suspensions. At higher pH's the nitrite reduction rate was slightly less and the amounts of nitrogen oxide gases formed were considerably less with N 2 being the major product. The chemical sterilant decreased the conversion of nitrite to N 2 and markedly increased the formation of NO. The significant production of NO under acid conditions both with and without the sterilant, suggests the likelihood of self‐decomposition of nitrous acid as a major mechanism of nitrite loss.
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Cleemput et al. (1976) studied this question.