Ammonium

This is ammonium nitrate. The **ammonium** (more obscurely: **ammonium**) cation is a positively charged polyatomic cation of ammonia with the chemical formula NH 4 +. Ammonia's chemical formula is NH 3, which is neutral. Ammonium is also a general name for positively charged.

What is ammonia?
Ammonia (NH 3 ) is one of the most commonly produced industrial chemicals in the United States. It is used in industry and commerce, and also exists naturally in humans and in the environment. Ammonia is essential for many biological processes and serves as a precursor for amino acid and nucleotide synthesis. In the environment, ammonia is part of the nitrogen cycle and is produced in soil from bacterial processes. Ammonia is also produced naturally from decomposition of organic matter, including plants, animals and animal wastes. Some chemical/physical properties of ammonia are:
 * At room temperature, ammonia is a colorless, highly irritating gas with a pungent, suffocating odor.
 * In pure form, it is known as anhydrous ammonia and is hygroscopic (readily absorbs moisture).
 * Ammonia has alkaline properties and is corrosive.
 * Ammonia gas dissolves easily in water to form ammonium hydroxide, a caustic solution and weak base.
 * Ammonia gas is easily compressed and forms a clear liquid under pressure.
 * Ammonia is usually shipped as a compressed liquid in steel containers.
 * Ammonia is not highly flammable, but containers of ammonia may explode when exposed to high heat.

How is ammonia used?
About 80% of the ammonia produced by industry is used in agriculture as fertilizer. Ammonia is also used as a refrigerant gas, for purification of water supplies, and in the manufacture of plastics, explosives, textiles, pesticides, dyes and other chemicals. It is found in many household and industrial-strength cleaning solutions. Household ammonia cleaning solutions are manufactured by adding ammonia gas to water and can be between 5 and 10% ammonia. Ammonia solutions for industrial use may be concentrations of 25% or higher and are corrosive.

How can people be exposed to ammonia?
Most people are exposed to ammonia from inhalation of the 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 also means that exposure can occur from an accidental release or from a deliberate terrorist attack. Anhydrous ammonia gas is lighter than air and will rise, so that generally it dissipates and does not settle in low-lying areas. However, in the presence of moisture (such as high relative humidity), the liquefied anhydrous ammonia gas forms vapors that are heavier than air. These vapors may spread along the ground or into low-lying areas with poor airflow where people may become exposed.

<span style="color: #3f7a3f; font-family: tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.5em; vertical-align: top;">What is ammonia’s mechanism of action?
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Ammonia interacts immediately upon contact with available moisture in the skin, eyes, oral cavity, respiratory tract, and particularly mucous surfaces to form the very caustic ammonium hydroxide. Ammonium hydroxide causes the necrosis of tissues through disruption of cell membrane lipids (saponification) leading to cellular destruction. As cell proteins break down, water is extracted, resulting in an inflammatory response that causes further damage.



= Biology = Ammonium ions are a waste product of the metabolism of animals. In fish and aquatic invertebrates, it is excreted directly into the water. In mammals, sharks, and amphibians, it is converted in the urea cycle to urea, because urea is less toxic and can be stored more efficiently. In birds, reptiles, and terrestrial snails, metabolic ammonium is converted into uric acid, which is solid and can therefore be excreted with minimal water loss. Ammonium is an important source of nitrogen for many plant species, especially those growing on hypoxia soils. However, it is also toxic to most crop species and is rarely applied as a sole nitrogen source.