The study focused on heterocysts, which convert nitrogen into ammonia.

These are able to convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into nitrogen-containing organic substances.

The bacteria are able to convert atmospheric nitrogen, which plants can not use, into a form that plants can use.

Human activities now convert more nitrogen from the atmosphere into reactive forms than all of the Earth's terrestrial processes combined.

Catalytic systems for converting nitrogen to ammonia have been developed since the 1980s.

Bascially the goal of these treatments is to convert nitrogen to a compound that can be excreted more easily.

Heterocysts function to convert environmental nitrogen (N) into compounds such as ammonia or nitrate.

Some microbes convert nitrogen from a gas to a form that plants can use, like natural fertilizer.

These microbes convert nitrogen from the air into a form that the plants can use.

The same reaction is carried out by lightning, providing a natural source for converting atmospheric nitrogen to soluble nitrates.