Ammonium nitrate, toxicity

Safety Considerations. Ammonium nitrate can be considered a safe material if treated and handled properly. Potential hazards include those associated with fire, decomposition accompanied by generation of toxic fumes, and explosion. 

Although ammonium nitrate does not itself bum, it is a strong oxidizer capable of supporting the combustion of numerous substances when heated. It can support and intensify a fire even when air is excluded. Fires involving ammonium nitrate also present a toxic hazard from the release of nitrogen oxides, even though the soHd itself is generally considered not to be toxic. 

The term manufacture also includes coincidental production of a toxic chemical (e.g., as a byproduct or impurity) as a result of the manufacture, processing, use, or treatment of other chemical substances. In the case of coincidental production of an impurity (i.e., a chemical that remains in the product that is distributed in commerce), the de minimis limitation, discussed on page 11, applies. The de minimis limitation does not apply to byproducts (e.g., a chemical that is separated from a process stream and further processed or disposed). Certain listed toxic chemicals may be manufactured as a result of wastewater treatment or other treatment processes. For example, neutralization of acid wastewater can result in the coincidental manufacture of ammonium nitrate (solution). 

Yourcompany. a nitric acid manufacturer, uses ammonia in a waste treatment system to neutralize an acidic wastewater stream containing nitric acid. The reaction of the ammonia and nitric acid produces an ammonium nitrate solution. Ammonium nitrate solution is a listed toxic substance, as are nitric acid and ammonia. Your facility otherwise uses ammonia as a reactant and manufactures ammonium nitrate solution as a byproduct. If the ammonium nitrate solution is produced in a quantity that exceeds the threshold (e.g., 25,000 pounds for 1989), the facility must report for ammonium nitrate solution. If more than 10,000 pounds of ammonia is added to the wastewater treatment system, then the facility must report (or ammonia. 

Research has shown that when polychlorpinen, ammonium nitrate, and superphosphate are present together in the soil, phosgene, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, hydrochloric acid, ammonia, hydrocyanic anions, ozone, hydrogen fluoride and phosphide, etc. could appear in the air over the beet fields. Photooxidants could also appear. Airborne toxic compounds over this crop were noted in areas after precipitation with little wind, and with an air temperature of over 2CP . The combined and complex activity of pesticides and other chemical compounds led people who manually sowed beets to develop symptoms of poisoning. [21]... 

Production of ammonia (NH ) Anhydrous (dry) ammonia is the fifth most produced industrial compound. The Haber-Bosch process uses steam on hot coke, which is mostly used in South Africa. In the United States, it is mostly produced from partial combustion of natural gas (methane) or by combining several gases using steam. Other methods use coke-oven gas, refinery gas (mostly methane), or even solar energy. Ammonia is toxic if inhaled and has a high pH value when mixed with water (hydration) to form ammonium hydroxide (NH OH), which has many uses, including as a household cleaner. Ammonia forms many compounds, including ammonium nitrate in fertilizer, rocket fuel, and explosives. Ammonia is also explosive when mixed with mercury or silver or when mixed as part of nitrocellulose. 

In actual field use explosion product fumes can be hazardous, eg Ammonium Nitrate-fuel oil mixtures (ANFO) are not recommended for underground blasting because they produce toxic fumes (Ref 3). Highly toxic NO is often found in explosion fumes. The oxidation of NO to the less dangerous N02 was found to be less rapid under mining conditions than was previously believed (Ref 4)... 

Ammonium nitrate (AN) was considered early as an environment-friendly alternative to AP but its multiple crystal phase-transitions at low temperatures and its poor performance precluded its use. The nitramine-based propellants are also likely to emerge as potential eco-friendly propellants as the combustion products are non-toxic and non-smoky, although the present day nitramine propellants do not match the high performance and high burn rates of AP-based composite propellants [62, 63]. At the same time, high pressure exponent and unstable combustion prevent their application in large rockets due to safety considerations [20]. The inclusion of Al powder and other additives increases the burn rate and also eliminates the combustion instability. 

XVIII) Laboratory Disposal of LA by the Method Used at the du Pont s Plant at Pomp-ton Lakes, NJ. Disperse slowly with stirring ca 1 g sample in ca 16 ml of 25% aq ceric ammonium nitrate soln and allow to stand. Fumes from the decompn are not toxic... 

The potential of ammonia-based flue gas desulphurisation waste solution as a nitrogen fertiliser has been assessed by Gissel-Neilson and Bertelsen (1989) by field trials using barley and rye grass. The solution had the same fertiliser value as calcium-ammonium-nitrate. The toxic effects of sulphite were reduced by avoiding direct contact of the solution with the plants. 

The English scientist Joseph Priestley first discovered nitrous oxide in 1793. He made N20 by heating ammonium nitrate in the presence of iron filings, and then passing the resulting gas through water to remove toxic by-products. 

Taking into account these difficulties and all discussions and evaluations of recent research results, many authors propose the weak salt solutions of calcium chloride, sodium nitrate and ammonium nitrate as extraction reagents to predict the risk/ toxicity associated to soil PTMs pollution or residing after remediation actions (Kabata-Pendias, 2004 Keller and Hammer, 2004 Ure and Davidson, 2002). 

The product does not colour the skin and, according to the German literature, is not toxic. However, Roche and V. Thomas [19] reported its vapour to be strongly irritant. During World War I the Germans used picryl sulphide in mixtures with TNT, with or without ammonium nitrate, for filling bombs. 

Ionic liquids should also be very suitable for use as monopropellants, but the salts used must contain either the oxidizer and fuel combined, or salt mixtures which contain both oxidizing and reducing salts. Since these mixtures are homogeneous systems which contain both the oxidizer and fuel, they can be labeled as monopropellants, just as hydrazine is. Particularly interesting are salt mixtures which are less toxic and have a lower vapor pressure than hydrazine. Such mixtures are also known as green propellants . Suitable anions are the nitrate or dinitramide ions [58], A combination which has already been studied intensively as an oxidizer is the HAN, hydroxylammonium nitrate system. ADN, ammonium nitrate (AN) and hydrazinium nitrate (HN) have also been investigated. As fuels, hydroxylammonium azide (HAA), ammonium azide (AA) or hydrazinium azide (HA) may be appropriate. As a rule, these salt mixtures are not used as pure substances on safety grounds, but with 20 or 40% water added they then decompose catalytically in an exothermic reaction. Table 9.7 shows the dependence of the calculated specific impulses on the water content for such salt mixtures. 

DOT CLASSIFICATION 5.1 Label Oxidizer SAFETY PROFILE A poison by ingestion. An irritant. A strong oxidant. Forms powerfully explosive mixtures with aluminum + ammonium nitrate + formamide + water, ammonium nitrate + hydrocarbon oils, ammonium nitrate + water-soluble fuels, and organic materials. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of NOx. See also NITRATES and CALCIUM COMPOUNDS. 

Combustible when exposed to heat or flame. Can react with oxidizing materials. Explosive reaction with acetic acid + acetic anhydride + ammonium nitrate + nitric acid, 1-bromopenta borane(9) (above 90°C), iodoform (at 178°C), iodine (at 138°C). Reaction with nitric acid + acetic anhydride forms the military explosives RDX and HMX. Reacts violently with Na202. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of formaldehyde and NOx. See also AMINES. 

SAFETY PROFILE Poison by intraperitoneal route. Moderately toxic by ingestion. Mutation data reported. A very dangerous fire hazard when exposed to heat, flame, or by chemical reaction with oxidizers. A severe explosion hazard when shocked or exposed to heat or flame. It is about as powerful as TNT. It is normally mixed with coUoided nitrocellulose or ammonium nitrate and paraffin wax. Can react vigorously with oxidizing materials and the derivatives can be explosive. The mercury and silver salts and other derivatives are much more impact-sensitive. When heated to decomposition it emits highly toxic fumes of NOx. See also NITRO COMPOUNDS. 

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