In article ,
Chuck Banshee wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:02:12 -0800, Billy wrote:

Ammonia is converted in the atmosphere into N2O, a very strong
greenhouse gas. As good stewards of the land, we should reduce our
production of ammonia (better control of compost pile).

Now that's interesting.

Previously, the equation train went from urea [(NH2)2CO] to ammonium
carbonate [(NH4)2 CO3] to ammonium [2 NH4] and carbon dioxide [CO2 gas)]
& then I stopped at ammonia [NH3 gas] and water [H2O].

But I guess (from what you said above) some of that atmospheric ammonia
is converted to nitrous oxide (probably by oxidation of the ammonia?):
2 NH3 + 2 O2 → N2O + 3 H2O

Is that urea reaction path above correct yet?

The stoichiometry looks right. I'd have to look up the reaction sequence to be sure.


Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a strong greenhouse gas with global warming
potential (GWP) which is much greater, by 310 times, than that of CO2.

http://www.ghgonline.org/nitrousatmos.htm
http://www.global-climate-change.org.uk/6-4-3-1.php
--

Billy

E Pluribus Unum

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 16 April 1953

"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.

On Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:56:05 +0000, Chuck Banshee wrote:

How did you find this? I had googled for hours before posting my
question because I could not find the answer of how to keep the nitrogen
IN the compost!

I recently found this, an entire doctoral thesis, on the fate of
radioactive nitrogen in urine applied to soils over a period of time.

Title: Fate of urine nitrogen applied to peat and mineral soils from
grazed pastures, by Timothy John Clough, Lincoln University, 1994.

http://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz.../10182/1030/1/
clough_phd.pdf