Name for the salts and esters of nitric acid. Some of the salts are referred to by the historical trivial name saltpetre. Nitrates are also accessible by complete oxidation of nitrogen compounds such as ammonia, hydroxylamine and nitrites. The salts, which are readily soluble in water, play an important role as nutrients for plants. In agriculture or viticulture, nitrates are used as fertiliser, also in the form of liquid manure or slurry.
Graphic: By User:Nojhan, edited original Nitrogen, CC BY-SA 3.0, link
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Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)