noun
- salts or esters of nitric acid, commonly used as fertilizers or food preservatives
Usage: chemistry
Examples
- Farmers apply nitrates to their fields to help crops grow.
- The soil test showed high levels of nitrates from fertilizer runoff.
- Some processed meats contain nitrates as preservatives.
- Excessive nitrates in drinking water can be harmful to health.
- The laboratory analyzed the water sample for nitrates and other chemicals.
- Organic farmers avoid using synthetic nitrates on their crops.