text: The second step of nitrification is the oxidation of nitrite into nitrate. This process is sometimes known as nitratation. Nitrite oxidation is conducted by nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) from the taxa Nitrospirota, Nitrospinota, Pseudomonadota and Chloroflexota. NOB are typically present in soil, geothermal springs, freshwater and marine ecosystems.