What is total nitrogen?

1 Answer
Ernest Z.
Jun 4, 2017

Total nitrogen (#"TN"#) is the sum of ammonia nitrogen (#"NH"_3"-N"#), nitrate
nitrogen (#"NO"_3"-N"#), nitrite nitrogen (#"NO"_2"-N"#), and organically bonded nitrogen.

Explanation:

All measurements are expressed as the concentration of #"N"# in the sample.

#"NH"_3"-N"# is a constituent of raw domestic wastewater.

Various biological processes oxidize the #"NH"_3# to #"NO"_2^"-"# and #"NO"_3^"-"#.

Typical concentrations in wastewater are #"TN = 30 mg/L"# and #"NH"_3"-N = 15 mg/L"#.

The numbers vary with the jurisdiction, but a common limit for #"NH"_3"-N"# in the effluent after treatment is 1.25 mg/L.

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