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Nitrosomonas Bacteria
Nitrosomonas are nitrifying bacteria, which are classed as obligate chemolithotrophs, because they utilize inorganic salts as an energy source, as opposed to organic materials. These non-motile bacteria oxidize both ammonia and nitrites to fulfill their energy requirements. They typically colonize the substrate in rivers, lakes and ponds and secrete an adhesive slime medium with which they attach themselves to rocks, stones and gravel particles. The various species of Nitrosomonas are rod-shaped microbes, up to 4.0 microns long. They are gram-negative aerobes, which are incapable of converting either ammonia or nitrates unless they are in an oxygen-rich environment. Due to the minimal energy yield produced by their oxidation reactions, these bacteria populations experience slow growth and reproduction rates. They are, however, highly adapted at converting both ammonia and nitrite and do so at a rate equivalent to that of 1 million heterotrophic bacteria. Under perfect conditions, Nitrosomonas populations can double in size every seven hours. The fast-growing heterotrophic bacteria, by comparison, will double every 20 minutes. By the time a single Nitrosomonas cell has doubled, a heterotrophic bacterium would have produced 35 trillion cells.
Nitrobacter Bacteria
Nitrobacter, like nitrosomonas, are nitrifying bacteria that reproduce through binary division. Under optimal conditions, Nitrobacter populations can double in size every 13 hours. Nitrobacter, like Nitrosomonas, has a complex cell wall, which is surrounded by a slime matrix. The various species of nitrifying bacteria all have limited tolerance to environmental conditions, such as temperature, the dissolved oxygen levels in their environment and the pH of the water. Nitrifying bacteria can survive unfavorable water conditions for limited periods, but succumb if these factors do not improve. Nitrobacter bacteria require select micronutrients to thrive. The most important of these is phosphorus for the production of adenosine tri-phosphate. These bacteria use the adenosine tri-phosphate to provide energy for cellular functions.