ABSTRACT
Ammonia (CAS no. 7664-41-7) Molecular formula: NH3 Synonyms and trade names: ammonia gas, ammonia, anhydrous, Nitro-Sil,
liquid ammonia Use and exposure: Ammonia is a colorless gas with a sharp, penetrating, and
irritating odor. It is very soluble in water and is also soluble in ethanol, diethyl ether, other organic solvents, and mineral acids. It is incompatible with oxidizing agents like perchlorates, chlorates, hydrogen peroxide, chromic trioxide, nitrogen oxides, and nitric acid, and with heavy metals and their salts. The primary use of ammonia gas is in the fertilizer industry, as a direct-application fertilizer and as a building block for the manufacture of nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate,
TABLE 7.1 Global Air Pollution and Human Mortality
and ammonium phosphate, and nitrogen fertilizer solutions. It is also used in production of nitric acid and in the bers and plastics industries for the production of caprolactam and acrylonitrile.2,3
Toxicity and health effects: Ammonia gas is a severe respiratory tract irritant. High levels of airborne ammonia gas dissolve in moisture on the skin, forming corrosive ammonium hydroxide. Ammonia does not accumulate in the body. Exposure to high levels of ammonia causes irritation to the skin, eyes, throat, and lungs, as well as coughing and burns. Direct exposure to liquid ammonia causes frostbite, corrosive burns, and permanent scarring among industrial workers. Symptoms of poisoning include mild frostbite, numbness, prickling and itching in the affected area, a burning sensation, and stiffness of the affected area. In severe cases, the skin color turns to waxy white or yellow, blisters, and tissue death and gangrene follow. Corrosive burns of the skin have resulted from direct contact with a jet of liqueed ammonia. Direct contact with the liqueed ammonia gas causes corrosive injury to the eye, permanent eye damage, or blindness.2,3
Ammonia gas and cancer: There are no reports indicating that ammonia gas causes cancer in animals and humans. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have not classied ammonia for carcinogenicity.2
