N2O (g) and nitrogen monoxide NO (g) - are the products of denitrification by soil bacteria.

Nitric oxide or nitrogen monoxide (NO) is a colorless gas. It has a boiling point (bp) of –151.8°C (at 1 atmosphere) and a molecular weight of 30.0 g mol−1. Because it has an odd number of electrons, NO is a very reactive molecule (the so-called free radical) (Greenwood and Earnshaw, 1984). It is rapidly oxidized to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) within minutes, so NO and NO2 are often referred to as NOx (= NO + NO2). NO is a short-lived intermediate in various chemical reactions in the troposphere and stratosphere (Warneck, 2000). In the stratosphere, NO originates from the photochemical decomposition of nitrous oxide (N2O, see Section 3) and participates in one of the main catalytic ozone (O3) reaction cycles (Crutzen, 1970, 1996). In the troposphere, NO is rapidly oxidized to nitrous acid (HNO2) by reaction with hydroxyl radicals (OH) or to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by reaction with O3 or hydroperoxyl radicals (HO2). NOx participates in the catalytic formation of O3 in the troposphere.

Nitrogen monoxide belongs to a family of toxic, highly reactive gases (nitrogen oxides) that are formed when fuel is burned at high temperatures. Nitrogen monoxide pollution is emitted by automobiles, various off-road vehicles such as boats and construction equipment. At Breeze Technologies, Nitrogen monoxide is a common air pollutant that is measured by our air quality sensors. Read on to find out why.

What is nitrogen monoxide?

Nitrogen monoxide (also known as nitric oxide) is a compound of the formula NO, a colorless gas with a strong, sweet smell. Although known as a toxic air pollutant, NO also has many important functions in the human body. It is used as a signal in the cardiovascular system and nervous system and plays an important role in blood pressure regulation. White blood cells can also produce NO in large quantities. NO is an extremely important intermediate in the chemical industry (i.e. a molecule that is produced during a chemical reaction but immediately reacts further into the directly observed chemical reaction product). It is a toxic air pollutant produced by car engines and power plants.