Nitrate is a polyatomic ion that can be toxic to humans in large quantities as the human body can transform nitrates into nitrite. Nitrite is dangerous to our health so the lower our nitrate intake is, the better it is for our health. Regarding human consumption, the highest nitrate levels are mostly found in leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce) and our drinking water.
Agro-Solutions has developed a scientifically proven method to:
Years ago people used to think nitrate in drinking water contributed to our health, but recent research says otherwise. As not all consequences of high nitrate intake are clear yet, it’s best to try to minimize our nitrate consumption.
Nitrates are mainly applied as fertilizers for agricultural crops because of their high solubility and availability. The most common nitrates are connected to ammonium, sodium, potassium, and calcium salts. Several million tons are produced annually for this purpose.
High levels of nitrate fertilization undoubtedly lead to higher levels of nitrate in the plant. In modern agriculture, the use of huge amounts of nitrates seem to be taken for granted. While humans are subject to nitrate toxicity, farmers still use nitrates in excessive rates. Intensive testing and research shows that when plants nitrate levels are too high, plants become more susceptible to infections and diseases, and nutrition values diminish significantly.
Lettuce grown in greenhouses with nitrate-rich fertilizer can contain up to 8 times higher levels of nitrate compared to vegetables grown in outdoor conditions. We often observe that plants cannot transform nitrates sufficiently, which results in excessive nitrate levels in the plant. This makes the plant weaker, makes it produce fruits and vegetables with lower mineral contents and shorter shelf life. With plant sap measurements in our lab, we investigate techniques to better manage nitrogen fertilization and to stimulate plants in the more efficient transformation of nitrates.
