What are the Environmental Implications of Catalysis in Nutrient Cycling?
Understanding and optimizing catalytic processes in nutrient cycling can have significant environmental benefits. For instance, improving the efficiency of nitrogen fixation can reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers, which are energy-intensive to produce and can lead to eutrophication of water bodies. Similarly, enhancing natural denitrification processes can mitigate the release of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas.