The AI-powered English dictionary
plural nitrates
(chemistry) Any salt or ester of nitric acid. quotations examples
Nitrates are most commonly used in fertilizers, especially sodium and potassium nitrates. Numerous water wells have had to be abandoned because of the lack of a way to deal with the problem.
1992 March 10, “Removal of Nitrates”, in The New York Times
The underground water which feeds Britain's springs and rivers and provides a third of its drinking water is becoming seriously polluted with nitrates, causing a threat to wildlife and landing consumers with a big purification bill.
2003 August 11, Paul Brown, “Nitrate pollution raises water bills”, in The Guardian
The pinkness of bacon – or cooked ham, or salami – is a sign that it has been treated with chemicals, more specifically with nitrates and nitrites.
2018 March 1, Bee Wilson, “Yes, bacon really is killing us”, in The Guardian
third-person singular simple present nitrates, present participle nitrating, simple past and past participle nitrated
To treat, or react, with nitric acid or a nitrate examples