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Nitrogen: An element found in the air and in all
plant and animal tissues. For many crops, nitrogen fertilizer
is essential for economic yields. However, nitrogen can also be a pollutant when
nitrogen compounds are mobilized in the environment (e.g., leach from fertilized
or manured fields), are discharged from septic tanks or feedlots, volatilize to
the air, or are emitted from combustion engines. As pollutants, nitrogen
compounds can have adverse health effects (see nitrate
and air pollution) and contribute to degradation
of waters (see eutrophication).
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