nitrogen oxide

noun

|Updated on: 23 Jul 2018

Definition of nitrogen oxide

: any of several oxides of nitrogen most of which are produced in combustion and are considered to be atmospheric pollutants: such as

a : nitric oxide

b : nitrogen dioxide

c : nitrous oxide

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Recent Examples of nitrogen oxide from the Web

The second problem is emissions of harmful nitrogen oxides and particulates from vehicles.

— The Economist, "Heathrow’s third runway could be blown off course by pollution," 28 June 2018
That includes carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter — those nasty tiny particles of metals that get deep in the lungs.

— sarah bowman, Indianapolis Star, "The Indy 500 is actually super trashy," 21 May 2018
The software would turn off these various functions when the car was being driven under normal conditions, giving customers better performance at the expense of much higher nitrogen oxide emissions.

— megan geuss, Ars Technica, "Audi CEO connected to diesel scandal arrested in Germany after phone taps," 18 June 2018
And an analysis done by the EPA in 2017 showed that Fitzgerald’s trucks emitted 43 times as much nitrogen oxide as trucks that comply with modern emissions standards.

— sean o'kane, The Verge, "Anheuser-Busch orders hundreds of hydrogen trucks from zero-emission startup Nikola," 3 May 2018
The diesel scandal first became public in the United States three years ago after regulators discovered that Volkswagen diesel vehicles were emitting significantly more nitrogen oxide (NOx) while on the road than the legal limit.

— megan geuss, Ars Technica, "Volkswagen Group will pay another $1.2 billion in Germany over diesel scandal," 13 June 2018
The first such analysis since the 2015 Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal, the results show more than 4,000 vehicle models exceeding nitrogen oxides (NOx) levels set by the European Union.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Almost All European Diesel Cars Are Dirty, New Study Finds," 7 June 2018
One goal is to inventory the chemicals released by wildfires, including nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, and a vast array of volatile organic compounds.

— warren cornwall, Science | AAAS, "Scientists race to reveal how surging wildfire smoke is affecting climate and health," 31 May 2018
By contrast, the EPA’s own researchers came to a different conclusion, after using lab tests to estimate that glider trucks spewed four to 40 times more nitrogen oxide and at least 50 times more particulate matter than modern competitors.

— bloomberg news, BostonGlobe.com, "EPA ignoring its own research to roll back emission standards, advisers say," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nitrogen oxide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.