Numerically micro mols per litre and micro gram atoms per litre are the same. The latter is now rarely used in practice and so micro mols per litre is the preferred unit . This is also better to use than micrograms per litre as it allows direct comparison for example, of the relative nitrogen partitioning between ammonium, nitrate and nitrite. If these were quoted in micrograms per litre one would need to take into account the molecular weights in order to unravel relative N partitioning between these nitrogen pools.
In marine research all concentrations are given as a molality, e.g., micro-mols per kg solution. This is important because molality does not change due to a change in temperature, pressure or salinity of seawater. Remember, the volume water changes with temperature and pressure, but the mass stays the same.
The answer to this depends on the subject matter of the manuscript and the journal you are submitting your research to. Ecology and environmental science typically report mg L-1 unless the paper deal with ecological stoichiometry theory, then moles are more common. Chemistry fields are more likely to use moles.
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