Ammonia is a compound of hydrogen and nitrogen with the formula NH3. It is a colorless gas, highly soluble in water, with a distinct characteristic of a pungent smell. It is widely used in plastics, fiber, mining, pulp and paper, pharmaceutical, chemical, and agriculture industries. Moreover, it is necessary for several important biological functions, such as protein synthesis, nucleic acid production, and the breaking down of DNA. The effects of ammonia on humans vary depending on the level of exposure and how long the person has been exposed. Ammonia gas can irritate the respiratory tract, eyes, nose, and throat. Furthermore, exposed individuals may experience headaches, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
The severity of health effects depends on the route of exposure, the dose, and the duration of exposure. Long-term exposure can result in blindness, lung damage, or death. Ammoniais also highly toxic to pets, causing potentially serious damage to the skin, eyes, abdomen, and even death with substantial exposure. This compound is corrosive and irritating, and has been proven to be especially dangerous for people with respiratory issues. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the estimated daily ammonia intake through food and drinking-water is 18 mg, by inhalation less than 1 mg, and through cigarette smoking less than 1 mg.
Ammonia is one of the most abundant nitrogen-containing compounds that occur naturally in the environment. Around 80% of the ammonia produced by industry is used in agriculture as fertilizer. There is an increasing demand for ammonia-based fertilizers to enhance the yield productivity to meet the growing demand for food. According to the ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, around 90% of ammoniaproduced is used in fertilizer, to help sustain food production for billions of people around the world. With the increasing population, demand for food is also increasing with a rapid pace. The United States 2020 population is estimated at 331,002,651 people at mid-year, according to United Nation’s data.
