Faculty Directory
 John J. Rowe Professor Office: SC-223B/233 Phone: (937) 229-2508/2505 Fax: (937) 229-2021 Email: John J. Rowe Curriculum Vitae |
Research: Microbial Biochemistry/Molecular Biology Microbial denitrification is viewed as the concluding step of one turn of the nitrogen cycle. It involves the reduction of nitrate or nitrite to gaseous nitrogen oxides or dinitrogen by a group of bacteria called denitrifiers. Denitrification is of concern to agriculturalists because of the large loss of applied nitrogen fertilizer to this bacterial phenomenon. Environmentalists are interested in denitrification because nitrous oxide (an end product of denitrification) reacts with the ozone layer or our atmosphere which protects us from the harmful effects of ultraviolet irradiation. Denitrification also represents a natural, significant buffer to agricultural pollution, removing nitrates and nitrites from surface waters and groundwater. We are involved in research concerned with the biochemistry, molecular biology, and regulation of this interesting bacterial pathway.
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