Bacterial digestion is an economical method of sewage...

Bacterial digestion is an economical method of sewage treatment. The reaction is an intermediate step in the conversion of the nitrogen in organic compounds into nitrate ions. How much bacterial tissue is produced in a treatment plant for every $1.0 \times 10^{4} \mathrm{~kg}$ of wastewater containing $3.0 \% \mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}$ ions by mass? Assume that $95 \%$ of the ammonium ions are consumed by the bacteria.

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Key Concepts

Nitrogen Cycle Conversion

The nitrogen cycle conversion involves the transformation of nitrogen compounds through various biochemical processes. In sewage treatment, the oxidation of ammonium ions to nitrate is a key intermediate step, highlighting how bacteria play an essential role in modifying nitrogen species in the environment.

Bacterial Growth Yield

Bacterial growth yield describes how efficiently bacteria convert substrates into their own cellular mass. It encompasses the relationship between the amount of substrate consumed (in this case, ammonium ions) and the mass of bacterial tissue produced during sewage treatment.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions. It allows us to relate the amount of a substrate, such as ammonium ions, to the quantity of products formed, including bacterial biomass, based on a balanced reaction equation.

Percent Composition

Percent composition refers to the mass percentage of a component in a mixture. In the context of wastewater, it is used to determine how much ammonium is present by mass, which is essential for further quantitative analysis of its conversion into bacterial tissue.

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