Detecting biological instability in the Nitrogen Cycle.
A nitrite sensor measures the concentration of nitrite nitrogen (NO₂⁻-N) present in water or biological treatment systems.
Nitrite is an intermediate compound formed during nitrification, when ammonia is converted to nitrate by bacteria. In stable systems, nitrite should not accumulate.
Nitrite sensors detect nitrogen in its intermediate oxidized form using ion-selective, optical, or wet-chemistry methods. The output signal is proportional to nitrite concentration, typically expressed in mg/L NO₂⁻-N.
This sensor belongs to the Process Quality Cluster , and is a critical component of the Nitrogen Cycle , indicating process instability and incomplete nitrification.
The measured value represents the concentration of nitrite present in the system.
Persistent nitrite accumulation is a strong indicator that the Nitrogen Cycle is unstable.
Nitrite is the transitional stage between ammonia and nitrate. In healthy biological systems, it exists only briefly.
When nitrite accumulates, it signals that ammonia oxidation is occurring, but nitrate formation is incomplete.
IoT-enabled nitrite monitoring allows early detection of biological instability, real-time aeration optimization, trend-based shock load analysis, and automated corrective actions.
The Nitrite Sensor is the instability alarm of the Nitrogen Cycle. When nitrite appears in excess, it is a signal that the biological engine is struggling. Early detection prevents downstream failure and regulatory risk.