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Re: Nitrates -- or - Nitrates and Not-rates



Phrased as a quiz, Shireen Gonzaga said:

> What is your definition of the word "nitrate" as printed
> on the instruction sheets of nitrate test kits?
> 
> Multiple choice version:
> Nitrate is
>     A) NO3
>     B) NO3-N (nitrate nitrogen)
> 
> Essay version:
> what does NO3-N mean?
> 
> It would be useful to add the definitions of NO3 and
> NO3-N to
> some FAQs, and explain somewhere that when people
> commonly
> talk about nitrates, or refer to it as NO3, they're
> really talking about
> NO3-N. It's a very confusing issue.

I know what Shireen is talking about.  Ask your water
company how much Nitrate in your water and then when they
tell you, ask if they meant NO3-N or NO3.  You might be
surprised to find that the relatively low Nitrate number
they quoted was really NO3-N and your nitrates are much
higher than you first suspected.

The LaMotte test kits (3110, 3119) clearly measure NO3-N
but have a multiplier for converting for NO3-N results to
NO3.  Some kits don't mention this at all.  

Scott H.

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