nitrate

plural nitrates

1. chemistryAny salt or ester of nitric acid.

   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

   2 more 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, →ISSN

   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

present singular third person nitrates · participle present nitrating · participle past nitrated · past nitrated

1. To treat, or react, with nitric acid or a nitrate