The late afterglow in nitrogen with iron electrode is studied by the breakdown time delay method i.e., by measuring the breakdown time delay t(d) as a function of the afterglow time tau. It is proposed that the cause of rite secondary electrons initiating the breakdown is the energy of the surface recombination of nitrogen atoms on the iron electrode. The gas-phase and macrokinetic diffusive models are used to describe tire experimental breakdown time delay data. By fitting the theoretical curve to the experimental data : (1) it has been confirmed that tire recombination on the molybdenum glass is of tire second order and the value of the surface recombination coefficient is determined at 4 mbar; (2) it has been shown that the surface recombination on the iron electrode is of tire second order, and the effective recombination coefficients ore determined; (3) the analytical form of the recombination coefficient as a function of rite adsorption characteristics of surfaces and tire pressure of the parent gas has been derived. In addition. the orders of surface recombination on the molybdenum-, aluminum-, and gold-plated electrode were determined by the same method.