Nitrate reduction and the occurrence of a deep nitrite maximum in the ocean off the west coast of South America

Between 10°S and 23°S off the coast of Peru, at depths where the oxygen concentration is less than 0.2 ml/l, a pronounced secondary nitrite maximum is found; for the same or gr eater depth range, results indicate a loss of nitrate in the water column. It has been assumed that either nitrate reduction has taken place or there has been an arrested oxidation of organic nitrogen...