#ITIZEN 3CIENCE &ACT 3HEET 7
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.ITROGEN . AND PHOSPHOROUS 0 ARE THE MOST
IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS LIMITING PLANT GROWTH IN
TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS 7HILE
MODERATE TO HIGH LEVELS OF AVAILABLE NITROGEN AND
PHOSPHORUS IN SOIL ARE DESIRABLE FOR CROP AND
PASTURE PRODUCTION HIGH LEVELS OF SOLUBLE . AND 0
IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS OFTEN LEAD TO EXCESSIVE
GROWTH OF ALGAE AND OTHER PLANTS WHICH CAN
REDUCE OXYGEN LEVELS AND KILL lSH AS PLANTS DIE
AND DECOMPOSE 4HE PROCESS BY WHICH BODIES OF
WATER GRADUALLY INCREASE IN PLANT LIFE DUE TO EXCESS
NUTRIENT LOADING IS CALLED EUTROPHICATION 4HIS IS
THE LEADING PROBLEM IN +ANSAS LAKES AND PONDS
RESULT IN LOW EVEN NONDETECTABLE LEVELS OF
INORGANIC NITROGEN IN WATER MAKING IT DIFlCULT
TO USE INORGANIC NITROGEN ALONE AS A MEASURE
OF EUTROPHICATION (OWEVER INORGANIC NITROGEN
TESTS CAN LOCATE AREAS OF A FARM THAT CONTRIBUTE
SIGNIlCANT AMOUNTS OF INORGANIC NITROGEN IN
RUNOFF OR BASE mOW 4HE INORGANIC NITROGEN IS
SOLUBLE AND THE CONTENT OF THE STREAM INCREASES
WHERE AND WHEN THOSE INPUTS OCCUR &OR A MORE
COMPLETE MEASUREMENT OF THE NITROGEN STATUS OF
WATER OBTAIN A TOTAL NITROGEN ORGANIC PLUS
INORGANIC ANALYSIS FROM A COMMERCIAL
LABORATORY 4HIS WOULD INCLUDE NITROGEN PRESENT
IN SUSPENDED MICROORGANISMS OR ORGANIC MATTER
7ATER TESTS FOR NITROGEN CAN ONLY DETECT THE
INORGANIC FORMS READILY AVAILABLE TO PLANTS SUCH
AS NITRATE NITRITE AND AMMONIUM !S SHOWN IN
&IGURE WATER CAN ALSO CONTAIN SIGNIlCANT
AMOUNTS OF NITROGEN AS DISSOLVED OR SUSPENDED
ORGANIC MATTER OR IN LIVING ORGANISMS )N FACT
HIGH PLANT GROWTH CAUSED BY EXCESS NUTRIENTS CAN
4HE THREE FORMS OF NITROGEN THAT CAN BE
MEASURED WITH lELD TEST KITS INCLUDE NITRATE
NITRITE AND AMMONIA /NE WATER SAMPLE GIVES A
SNAPSHOT OF A PARTICULAR TIME 3TORM RUNOFF WATER
IS OFTEN HIGHER THAN STANDING WATER BECAUSE
PLANTS INCLUDING ALGAE HAVE TAKEN UP THE SOLUBLE
FORMS OF NITROGEN
&IGURE .ITROGEN CYCLE IN WATER 4EST KIT SAMPLES NITRATE NITRITE AND AMMONIA
7 .ITROGEN
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)NTERPRETATION
.ITRATE .ITROGEN ./ .
!NYTHING HIGHER THAN ZERO IN STREAMS OR PONDS
MAY BE A CONCERN (OWEVER PPM IS THE
MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL IN DRINKING WATER
"ECAUSE OF AMBIENT LEVELS IN MANY
GROUNDWATER SOURCES MANY MUNICIPAL WATER
SYSTEMS TEST AT ABOUT PPM 4HERE ARE NO
NATIONAL OR STATE STANDARDS RELATED TO NITRATE AND
AQUATIC LIFE IN SURFACE WATER BUT IF NITRATE IS
DETECTED IT COULD LEAD TO INCREASED PLANT
GROWTH IN THE WATER WHICH CAUSES DECREASED
OXYGEN WHICH THEN CAN STRESS OR KILL lSH AND
OTHER AQUATIC LIFE THAT REQUIRES OXYGEN
4OOLS
7 .ITROGEN
4EST STRIPS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR THIS lELD TEST
KIT 4HESE ARE CONVENIENT INEXPENSIVE AND
RELATIVELY ACCURATE COMPARED TO COMMERCIAL
LABORATORY ANALYSIS 4HESE CAN BE PURCHASED
FROM STORES SELLING AQUARIUM SUPPLIES AND
SCIENCE SUPPLY CATALOGS OR FROM THE ADDRESS AT
THE END OF THIS FACT SHEET 4HE BRAND TESTED FOR
THIS KIT IS MANUFACTURED BY (ACH AND TESTS
NITRATE RANGE TO PPM AND NITRITE RANGE
TO ON THE SAME TEST STRIP 4HIS IS
ADEQUATE FOR MOST lELD SAMPLES
0ROCEDURE
2ECORD THE MAXIMUM INTENSITY NUMBERS
FROM 3TEP FOR NITRATE AND NITRITE ON YOUR
DATA SHEET 4HIS READING WILL TAKE ABOUT
TWO TO lVE MINUTES )F THERE WAS NITRITE IN
THE SAMPLE SUBTRACT THAT NUMBER FROM THE
NITRATE TEST AND WRITE DOWN THE NITRATE LEVEL
4HE UNITS ARE NITRATE. AND NITRITE. IN PPM
MG,
4WO TESTS ARE ON TWO SEPARATE PADS ON THE SAME
TEST STRIP 2EMOVE THE NUMBER OF TEST STRIPS
NEEDED FOR YOUR SAMPLES PLACE ON A CLEAN DRY
SURFACE AND REPLACE THE CAP ,ABEL THE TEST
STRIPS WITH THE SAMPLE NUMBER OR PLACE ON A
NUMBERED PAPER TOWEL OR SHEET OF PAPER 3TORE
THE REST OF THE TEST STRIPS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
WITH THE LID TIGHTLY CLOSED 4HE EXPIRATION DATE
IS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE
.OTE 7E COMPARED READING THE STRIPS AT
AND SECONDS FOR NITRITE AND NITRATE
RESPECTIVELY WITH THE MAXIMUM METHOD AND
FOUND THAT READING THE NITRATE AT AND SECONDS CONSISTENTLY RESULTED IN A LOW READING
COMPARED TO RESULTS FROM +3TATE WATER TEST LAB
4HE MAXIMUM COLOR READING CORRELATED MOST
ACCURATELY 3O EVEN THOUGH THE BOTTLE SAYS TO
READ THE COLOR AT AND SECONDS WE
RECOMMEND THE REVISED VERSION OF THIS TEST
$IRECTIONS
$IP A STRIP INTO YOUR SAMPLE FOR SECOND
$O NOT LEAVE IT IN THE WATER TO SOAK AND DO
NOT SHAKE EXCESS WATER FROM THE STRIP
(OLD THE STRIP LEVEL OR PLACE TAB UP ON CLEAN
mAT PAPER TOWEL FOR SECONDS .OTE THE
COLOR OF THE LOWER TEST PAD COMPARED TO THE
SECOND SET OF COLOR COMPARISONS 4HIS IS THE
NITRITE TEST /N THE BOTTLE LABEL THERE IS A
DRAWING OF A TEST STRIP WITH TWO PADS 5SE
THIS AS A GUIDE FOR WHICH COLOR CHART GOES
WITH EACH TEST PAD
!FTER SECONDS COMPARE THE COLOR OF THE TOP
PAD TO THE UPPER CHART ON THE BOTTLE 4HIS IS THE
NITRATE TEST WHICH MEASURES NITRATE PLUS
NITRITE
,EAVE THE STRIP UNDISTURBED FOR ANOTHER
COUPLE OF MINUTES 2EAD BOTH COLOR PADS
AGAIN AT MAXIMUM COLOR INTENSITY .OTE
WHEN THE COLOR STARTS TO FADE
&IGURE .ITRATE AND NITRITE TEST STRIPS
ARE EASY TO USE 3IMPLY DIP IN THE WATER
AND THEN RECORD THE COLOR CHANGE AFTER
ABOUT TWO MINUTES
.ITRITE NITROGEN ./.
)N OUR SAMPLING OF PILOTTEST FARMS MOST
STREAM POND AND lELD RUNOFF SAMPLES HAD
EITHER NO DETECTABLE OR VERY LOW LEVELS OF
NITRATE . BELOW PPM 7E OCCASIONALLY
FOUND HIGH NITROGEN LEVELS IN WATER WHEN
SAMPLING NEXT TO RECENTLY FERTILIZED CORN lELDS
4HESE SAMPLES WERE PPM NITRATE NITROGEN
4HE MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL IN HUMAN
DRINKING WATER IS PPM NITRITE NITROGEN ./
. 7HILE THERE IS NO FORMAL AQUATIC LIFE
CRITERION IN +ANSAS THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT
NITRITES CAN CAUSE BROWN BLOOD DISEASE IN SOME
SPECIES OF lSH AT CONCENTRATIONS AS LOW AS PPM DEPENDING ON OTHER WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
/THER SPECIES ARE CONSIDERABLY LESS SENSITIVE
7E RARELY DETECTED NITRITE UNDER BASE mOW
CONDITIONS IN OUR PRELIMINARY STUDY BUT
OCCASIONALLY FOUND SMALL BUT DETECTABLE
AMOUNTS IN RUNOFF
2ECORD THE ACTUAL NITRATE NITROGEN VALUE ON THE
DATA SHEET AND CIRCLE THE RATING
.ITRATE IS NOT DIRECTLY TOXIC TO PLANTS OR
ANIMALS BUT IT CAN BECOME TOXIC TO A VARIETY
OF ANIMALS IF IT IS CONVERTED TO NITRITE ./.
DURING DIGESTION .ITRITE CAN BIND WITH
HEMOGLOBIN IN THE BLOODSTREAM AND PREVENT
BLOOD FROM CARRYING OXYGEN !DULT HUMANS
POSSESS ENZYMES THAT REVERSE THIS PROCESS BUT
DRINKING WATER WITH MORE THAN PPM NITRATE
NITROGEN IS NOT SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION BY INFANTS
AND PREGNANT WOMEN ! SIMILAR DISORDER CALLED
BROWN BLOOD DISEASE CAN OCCUR IN lSH BUT IT IS
RELATIVELY RARE IN THE WILD BECAUSE IT IS
ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH LEVELS OF NITRITE RATHER
THAN NITRATE
.ITRITE IS POTENTIALLY TOXIC TO A VARIETY OF
ORGANISMS &ORTUNATELY NITRITE RARELY
ACCUMULATES IN THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE IT IS
RAPIDLY CONVERTED TO OTHER NITROGEN SPECIES
SUCH AS NITRATE NITROUS OXIDE OR NITROGEN GAS BY
OXIDIZING NITRIlCATION OR REDUCING
DENITRIlCATION REACTIONS (IGH LEVELS OF NITRITE
IN WATER SAMPLES ARE UNUSUAL AND HIGHLY
UNDESIRABLE
.ITRATE 2ATING
n "EST
.O DETECTABLE NITRATE
NITROGEN
n 'OOD
n &AIR
.ITRATE NITROGEN
DETECTABLE BUT LESS
THAN PPM
.ITRATE NITROGEN
BETWEEN AND PPM
n 0OOR
.ITRATE NITROGEN
HIGHER THAN PPM
.ITRITE 2ATING
n "EST
.O NITRITE NITROGEN
DETECTED
n 'OOD
.ITRITE NITROGEN
DETECTABLE BUT LESS
THAN PPM
n &AIR
n 0OOR
.ITRITE NITROGEN
BETWEEN AND PPM
.ITRITE NITROGEN HIGHER
THAN PPM
7 .ITROGEN
"NNPOJBOJUSPHFO/)BOE/)
7 .ITROGEN
)NTERPRETATION
4HE DIRECTIONS THAT FOLLOW USE THE AMMONIA
NITROGEN TEST FROM (ACH ! BOTTLE OF TEST
STRIPS COME WITH THREE CLEAR PLASTIC VIALS FOR
MIXING 4O ORDER SEE THE ADDRESS AT THE END OF
THIS FACT SHEET 4HESE TEST STRIPS ARE SENSITIVE TO
LEVELS BETWEEN AND PPM .(
!MMONIA HAS ACUTE AND CHRONIC TOXIC AFFECTS ON
AQUATIC LIFE 4O CALCULATE WHETHER THE LEVEL IN THE
WATER IS TOXIC AT THE ACUTE OR CHRONIC LEVEL YOU
MUST ALSO KNOW THE TEMPERATURE AND P( OF THE
WATER
0ROCEDURE
.OTE THESE SAMPLES ALSO CHANGE AFTER SECONDS BUT IN OUR EXPERIENCE THEY BECOME
LESS ACCURATE IF YOU WAIT 2EAD THESE AT THE
TIME INTERVALS STATED ON THE BOTTLE AFTER SECONDS IN THE WATER PLUS SECONDS OUT OF
THE WATER FOR A TOTAL OF ONE MINUTE
2INSE THE THREE WATER SAMPLE TUBES THAT COME
WITH THE TEST STRIP KIT IN DISTILLED WATER AND
DRAIN 4AKE OUT THE SAME NUMBER OF TEST STRIPS
AS YOU HAVE SAMPLES OF WATER AND PLACE THEM
ON A CLEAN DRY PAPER TOWEL 7RITE THE WATER
SAMPLE NUMBERS ON THE STRIPS OR ON CLEAN
PIECES OF PAPER OR PAPER TOWEL USED WHILE
RUNNING TESTS !FTER DIPPING THE STRIPS LAY
THEM NEXT TO THEIR RESPECTIVE SAMPLE NUMBERS
ON THE SECOND TOWEL 3TORE THE REMAINDER OF
THE TEST STRIPS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE WITH THE LID
TIGHTLY CLOSED 4HE EXPIRATION DATE FOR THE
STRIPS IS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE
2INSE THE SAMPLE VIAL WITH DISTILLED WATER
AFTER EACH USE AND DRAIN
.OTE &OR THIS TEST WE RECOMMEND ALSO
RUNNING A SIDEBYSIDE SAMPLE WITH DISTILLED
WATER &OR SOME REASON WE OFTEN GET A LOW
LEVEL AMMONIA READING OR LOWER WITH
THIS TEST EVEN IN DISTILLED WATER )F THIS IS THE
CASE WHEN YOU RUN YOUR TEST SUBTRACT THE
LEVEL OBTAINED WITH DISTILLED WATER FROM THE
LEVEL OBTAINED FROM YOUR SAMPLE WATER !T
HIGH P( AND HIGH TEMPERATURE EVEN A SMALL
AMOUNT OF AMMONIA NITROGEN CAN BE TOXIC
SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE ACCURATE EVEN AT LOW
CONCENTRATIONS
$IRECTIONS
&ILL THE SAMPLE VIAL TO THE TOP LINE WITH THE
WATER SAMPLE
$IP THE STRIP INTO THE WATER SAMPLE
6IGOROUSLY MOVE THE STRIP UP AND DOWN IN
THE WATER SAMPLE FOR SECONDS MAKING
SURE BOTH PADS ARE ALWAYS SUBMERGED
&IGURE 2EMOVE THE TEST STRIP AND SHAKE OFF EXCESS
WATER
(OLD THE TEST STRIP HORIZONTALLY WITH THE PAD
SIDE UP FOR SECONDS
4O READ THE STRIP TURN THE TEST STRIP OVER SO
THAT BOTH PADS ARE DOWN AND HOLD IT SO THAT
THE PADS ARE FACING AWAY FROM YOU )T HELPS
TO HAVE GOOD LIGHTING WHILE DOING THIS
READING
&IGURE 4HE AMMONIA TEST STRIPS HAVE
A COMPOUND ON THE TEST STRIP THAT REACTS
WITH AMMONIA TO CAUSE THE COLOR CHANGE
3TRIPS REACT WITHIN A VIAL OF SAMPLE WATER
FOR SECONDS AND CAN BE READ AFTER
ANOTHER SECONDS
#OMPARE THE COLOR OF THE SMALL PAD TO THE
COLOR CHART ON THE BOTTLE 2EAD THE RESULT
THROUGH THE CLEAR PLASTIC OF THE TEST STRIP
-OST OF THE AMMONIA NITROGEN IN WATER EXISTS IN
THE FORM OF AMMONIUM ION .( BUT A SMALL
FRACTION EXISTS AS FREE AMMONIA .( WHICH IS
HIGHLY TOXIC TO lSH AND OTHER AQUATIC ORGANISMS
"ECAUSE THE RELATIVE PROPORTION OF FREE AMMONIA
INCREASES RAPIDLY AS P( AND TEMPERATURE
INCREASE THE BEST WAY TO ESTIMATE AMMONIA
TOXICITY IS TO USE SEPARATE MEASUREMENTS OF P(
TEMPERATURE AND TOTAL AMMONIA .( AND .(
4ABLES AND ON PAGE PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE
OF AMMONIA TOXICITY BASED ON THESE THREE
MEASUREMENTS
LIVESTOCK AREAS AND FROM lELDS FERTILIZED WITH
NITROGEN FERTILIZER OR MANURES 'ARDENS AND
LAWNS FERTILIZED WITH NITROGEN AND LEAKY COMPOST
PILES CAN BE A SOURCE IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN
AREAS 3TORM RUNOFF FROM DOG KENNELS OR CAT LITTER
BOX DUMPING AND WILDLIFE FECES CONTRIBUTE A
SMALL AMOUNT OF NITROGEN IN THE ENVIRONMENT
,ARGE FARMS ARE GENERALLY REQUIRED TO HAVE
LAGOONS TO HOLD THE MANURE AND KEEP lELD
RECORDS OF LAND APPLICATION 4HIS PREVENTS TOO
MUCH FROM BEING APPLIED TO THE LAND WHICH
WOULD THEN BE VULNERABLE TO RUNOFF "EST
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR MANURES AND
FERTILIZERS INCLUDE SPLIT APPLICATION PUT ON SMALL
AMOUNTS SEVERAL TIMES RATHER THAN A LARGE AMOUNT
ALL AT ONCE INCORPORATION OF THE . SOURCE TILL
AFTER APPLICATION OR INJECT AND AVOIDING WINTER
APPLICATION WHEN PLANTS ARE NOT PRESENT OR ACTIVE
IN TAKING UP THE APPLIED NITROGEN 4O AVOID
LIVESTOCK MANURE RUNNING OFF lELDS INTO SURFACE
WATER LEAVE A BUFFER OF UNMOWN GRASS NEAR
STREAMS TO ACT AS A lLTER AND FENCE SENSITIVE AREAS
SUCH AS WHERE CATTLE STAND IN THE WATER
OR CREATE PATHWAYS FOR EROSION AND RUNOFF
2EFER BACK TO THE DATA SHEETS WHERE THE P( AND
TEMPERATURE HAVE BEEN RECORDED 5SING
4ABLE lND THE P( OF THE SAMPLE ON THE LEFT
HAND COLUMN .OW LOOK FOR THE WATER
TEMPERATURE READING IN #ELSIUS ACROSS THE TOP
&OLLOW THE COLUMN DOWN UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE
AND P( COLUMN AND ROW INTERSECT 4HAT IS THE
LEVEL OF AMMONIA THAT WOULD CAUSE LONGTERM
PROBLEMS FOR AQUATIC LIFE AT THE TEMPERATURE AND
P( OF THE WATER SAMPLED
/N THE LINE FOLLOWING THE AMMONIA NITROGEN LEVEL
ON THE DATA SHEET 7 RECORD THE CHRONIC
CONCENTRATION LEVEL 2EPEAT THIS EXERCISE WITH
4ABLE TO lND THE ACUTE CONCENTRATION LEVEL /N
THE NEXT LINE OF THE DATA SHEET RECORD THE ACUTE
TOXICITY LEVEL FROM 4ABLE 2EFER TO THESE TWO
NUMBERS WHEN USING THE INTERPRETATION CHART
7HERE TO ORDER TEST KITS
(ACH #OMPANY
0/ "OX ,OVELAND #/ WWWHACHCOM
%MAIL ORDERS HACHCOM
7HERE IS THE NITROGEN COMING FROM
3OME NITROGEN COULD COME FROM NATURAL DEPOSITS
OF SOIL OR ROCK BUT MOST COMES FROM HUMAN
SOURCES SUCH AS WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS
LEAKING SEPTIC SYSTEMS FARM RUNOFF FROM
.ITRATENITRITE TEST STRIPS ORDER !MMONIA TEST STRIPS ORDER #OST !BOUT PER TEST
!MMONIA 2ATING
n "EST
n 'OOD
n &AIR
4OTAL AMMONIA NITROGEN
LEVEL IS ZERO OR NON
DETECTABLE
4OTAL AMMONIA LEVEL IS
DETECTABLE BUT BELOW
THE LEVEL THAT WOULD
CAUSE CHRONIC TOXICITY TO
AQUATIC LIFE 4ABLE 4OTAL AMMONIA LEVEL
IS HIGH ENOUGH THAT IT
IS WITHIN THE CHRONIC
TOXICITY RANGE BUT NOT
ACUTE HIGHER THAN 4ABLE
BUT LOWER THAN THE
VALUE IN 4ABLE n 0OOR
4OTAL AMMONIA
NITROGEN LEVEL
WOULD CAUSE
ACUTE TOXICITY
TO AQUATIC LIFE
EXCEEDS VALUE
IN 4ABLE 7 .ITROGEN
5BCMF
#HRONIC #ONCENTRATION #RITERION 4OTAL !MMONIA AS MG, OR PPM .
4EMPERATURE $EGREES #ELSIUS
7 .ITROGEN
P(
5BCMF
!CUTE #ONCENTRATION #RITERION 4OTAL !MMONIA AS MG, OR PPM .
4EMPERATURE $EGREES #ELSIUS
P(
4O CONVERT DEGREES #ELSIUS # TO &AHRENHEIT & USE THE EQUATION b § # &
7 .ITROGEN
7 .ITROGEN
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NOR IS CRITICISM IMPLIED OF SIMILAR PRODUCTS NOT MENTIONED
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2HONDA *ANKE 2EBECCA -OSCOU AND -ORGAN 0OWELL #ITIZEN 3CIENCE 7ATER 1UALITY 4ESTING 3ERIES 0+ 7 .ITROGEN
+ANSAS 3TATE 5NIVERSITY *UNE +ANSAS 3TATE 5NIVERSITY !GRICULTURAL %XPERIMENT 3TATION AND #OOPERATIVE %XTENSION 3ERVICE
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