Major Pollutant: Ammonia Essay

Ammonia is one of the most widely produced chemicals in the United States. In pure form, it is known as anhydrous ammonia. Ammonia has the formula NH3 which is a compound of hydrogen and nitrogen. Ammonia is also produced in the human body and is commonly found in nature. It is essential in the body as a building block for making proteins and other complex molecules. In nature, ammonia occurs in soil from bacterial processes. It is also produced when plants, animals and animal wastes decay. The properties of ammonia includes the following information. Ammonia is a colorless highly irritating gas with a sharp suffocating odor. It dissolves easily in water to form ammonium hydroxide solution which can cause irritation and burns. Ammonia gas is easily compressed and forms a clear, colorless liquid under pressure. It is usually shipped as a compressed liquid in steel cylinders. Ammonia is not highly flammable, but containers of ammonia may explode when exposed to high heat. Ammonia is lighter than air, its density being 0.589 times that of air and is miscible with water. Ammonia’s molecular mass is 17.03 g/mol and is a gas at room temperature. Its melting point is at -77.7 degrees celsius while its boiling point is at -33.35 degrees celsius. Its flash point is at 11 degrees celsius while its decomposition point is at 500 degrees celsius. Ammonia as a gas has a density of 0.7710 g/L whereas when in liquid form has the density of 0.6818 g/L. Ammonia is a weak base and has a very high affinity for water. When it comes into contact with anything containing water, it becomes very caustic and this can be very dangerous as it can attack moist parts of the body if it comes into contact with them. Despite the high affinity for water, ammonia has limited reactivity with water. Most people are exposed to ammonia from breathing its gas or vapors. Since ammonia exists naturally and is also present in cleaning products, exposure may occur from these sources. The widespread use of ammonia on farms and in industrial and commercial locations means that exposure can also occur from an accidental release or from a deliberate terrorist attack. Ammonia gas is lighter than air and will rise, so that generally it does not settle in low-lying areas. However, in the presence of moisture, ammonia can form vapors that are heavier than air. These vapors can spread along the ground or other low-lying areas. When ammonia enters the body as a result of breathing, swallowing or skin contact, it reacts with water to produce ammonium hydroxide. This chemical is very corrosive and damages cells in the body on contact. Ammonia is corrosive. The severity of health effects depends on the route of exposure, the dose and the duration of exposure. Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate burning of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage or death. Inhalation of lower concentrations can cause coughing, and nose and throat irritation. Swallowing ammonia can cause burns to the mouth, throat and stomach. Skin or eye contact with concentrated ammonia can also cause irritation and burns. If you have been exposed to a large release of ammonia such as from a tanker truck rollover or from a leaking tanker rail car, you must quickly move away from the area where you think you were exposed. If the release was indoors, go outside. If you are near a release of ammonia, emergency coordinators may tell you to either evacuate the area or to â€Å"shelter in place.† To â€Å"shelter in place† means to remain indoors to avoid being exposed to the chemical. While indoors, shut and lock all doors and windows; turn off air conditioners, fans and heaters; and close fireplace dampers. If exposed to ammonia, you must also quickly remove any clothing that may have ammonia on it. If possible, clothing that is normally removed over the head (like t-shirts and sweaters) should be cut off the body to prevent additional contact with the agent. Follow these steps for the removal of clothings that have ammonia on it. First place your clothing inside a plastic bag and seal the bag tightly. Do not handle the plastic bag, and wait for instructions on proper disposal. Disposing of your clothing in a sealed bag helps protect you and other people from any additional exposure. Then store the bagged clothing in a secure location away from people, especially children. As soon as you finish performing these steps, quickly wash any ammonia from your skin with large amounts of soap and water, and flush your eyes with large amounts of water by following these steps. First you must remove and dispose of any contact lenses then wash eyeglasses with soap and water before wearing. Do not use bleach to remove ammonia from your skin. If serious problems occur and the previous steps did not ease the situation, it is important to seek medical attention right away.