AMMONIUM NITRATE: THE CHEMICAL THAT SHOOK BEIRUT

Aspiring Doctors
Aug 17, 2020
5 min read

By Mahima Bharal and Malak Hassan

The Lebanese capital, Beirut was hit by two explosions on the evening of August 4th, 2020. Prime Minister Hassan Diab had said that the blast was the result of the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored unsafely at Beirut's port for six years.

WHAT IS AMMONIUM NITRATE?

Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula NH4NO3. It is a white crystalline solid consisting of ions of ammonium and nitrate.

USES OF AMMONIUM NITRATE:

Fertilizer

Ammonium nitrate is mostly used as a fertilizer since it is half in the nitrate form and half in the ammonium form. The nitrate form moves readily with soil water towards the roots, where it’s immediately available for plant uptake. The ammonium fraction is taken up by roots or gradually converted to nitrate by soil microorganisms.

Many farmers prefer ammonium nitrate as it is an immediately accessible source of nitrate for plant nutrition. Ammonium nitrate is commonly mixed with other fertilizers, but these mixtures can’t be stored for long periods because of a tendency to absorb moisture from the air and react. The very high solubility of ammonium nitrate makes it well suited for making solutions for fertigation or foliar sprays.

Explosive

Ammonium nitrate is an ingredient in many explosives such as:

Astrolite (ammonium nitrate and hydrazine rocket fuel)
Amatol (ammonium nitrate and TNT)
Ammonal (ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder)
Amatex (ammonium nitrate, TNT and RDX)
DBX (ammonium nitrate, RDX, TNT and aluminum powder)
Tovex (ammonium nitrate and methylammonium nitrate)
Minol (explosive) (ammonium nitrate, TNT and aluminum powder)
Goma-2 (ammonium nitrate, nitroglycol, nitrocellulose, dibutyl phthalate and fuel)
ANFO (or AN/FO, for ammonium nitrate/fuel oil) is a widely used bulk industrial explosive. It consists of a mixture of 94% ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) (AN), which acts as the oxidizing agent and absorbent for the fuel, and 6% number 2 fuel oil (FO).

Mining

Ammonium nitrate is used in coal mining, quarrying, metal mining, and civil construction in undemanding applications. It is used in extraction of crude oil and crude petroleum, as well as in manufacturing, casting, and surface treatment of metals.

Other uses

It is used in instant cold packs,fragrances or odor agents,soap and detergent production,manufacturing of electronics and automobiles,surface treatment of metals (corrosion inhibitors, hardening agents),propellants,oxidising or reducing agents,pesticides and water treatment.

EFFECTS OF AMMONIUM NITRATE ON THE HUMAN BODY:

Respiratory problems-

Under normal handling conditions, ammonium nitrate is not harmful. However, inhalation of high concentrations of ammonium nitrate dust can cause respiratory tract irritation. Symptoms may include coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, and suffocation.

Heated ammonium nitrate decomposes non-explosively into the gases nitrous oxide and water vapor. Exposure such to toxic nitrogen oxides can cause acute respiratory problems and systemic acidosis. When exposed in high concentrations, it can cause headache, dizziness, weakness, heart and circulation irregularities, convulsions, collapse, and suffocation. It may also cause methemoglobinemia, resulting in cyanosis.

Severe effects of ammonium nitrate include burns to the mucosa of the nasal passages, soft palate, larynx, and respiratory mucosa. Bronchospasm, which is the narrowing and obstruction of the airway, and thick sputum production can occur. Both epithelial and endothelial damage develop in alveolar injury resulting in an alveolar capillary leak and the changes of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Severe damage to alveoli from inhalation injury is referred to as diffuse alveolar damage (DAD).

Systemic acidosis

Systemic acidosis or Metabolic acidosis is an electrolyte disorder in which there is an imbalance in the body's acid-base balance. Metabolic acidosis has three main root causes: increased acid production, loss of bicarbonate, and a reduced ability of the kidneys to excrete excess acids. Chronic metabolic acidosis is most often caused by a decreased capacity of the kidneys to excrete excess acids through ammoniagenesis.

Methemoglobinemia

Methemoglobinemia is a blood disorder in which not enough oxygen is delivered to cells. Oxygen is carried through the bloodstream to the cells by hemoglobin. However, a specific type of hemoglobin, known as methemoglobin, carries oxygen through the blood but doesn’t release it to the cells. Too much methemoglobin can begin to replace normal hemoglobin. This can lead to a decreased oxygen supply to cells.The main symptoms are: chocolate-brown colored blood, and cyanosis, which describes a bluish color of the skin, especially the lips and fingers.it’s because of cyanosis that methemoglobinemia is called “baby blue syndrome.”

Bronchospasm

Bronchospasm is an abnormal contraction of the muscles that line the airways (bronchi) in the lungs, resulting in the narrowing and obstruction of the airways.This limits the amount of oxygen entering the bloodstream and the amount of carbon dioxide leaving the bloodstream. It contributes to asthmatic symptoms such as: wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, coughing, fatigue and dizziness. Bronchospasm is usually treated with bronchodilators, medicine that widens the airways and increases airflow. Three common bronchodilators are beta-agonists, anticholinergics, and theophylline.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a condition in which fluid builds up in the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs. Excessive fluid makes gaseous exchange difficult. As a result, less oxygen reaches the bloodstream. This causes oxygen deprivation in organs, which eventually results in organ failure. ARDS is a medical emergency and a potentially life-threatening condition.

Common symptoms and signs of ARDS include extreme shortness of breath, labored and rapid breathing, muscle fatigue and general weakness, low blood pressure, discolored skin or nails, dry cough, fever and headache.

Treatment of ARDS mainly focuses on improving oxygen levels in the blood. This can be done by providing supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation, and enough fluids.

Skin contact with ammonium nitrate may cause irritation to skin. Symptoms include redness, itching, and pain. Eye contact may cause serious irritation, redness, pain, swelling, itching, burning, tearing, and blurred vision. Exposure may worsen existing respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

Bibliography

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