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 Chemical Reaction Wiki :  The Formation of Ammonia



Ammonia is a compound that occurs naturally, it is produced in a synthesis reaction involving H2 (hydrogen) which combines with N2 (nitrogen) to form NH3; the chemical formula of ammonia. Ammonia is slightly flammable; it also dissolves and evaporates easily. It can take the form of either a liquid or a gas, but in both forms it is incredibly hazardous. Despite a few perilous properties, ammonia has many common uses. Because it is an essential source of nitrogen, which is needed by all plants and animals, it is used in fertilizers. Water treatment plants also find uses for the chemical. The odor of ammonia is recognizable to many people because it is also an ingredient in many household cleaning products.

 COMMON USES: Agricultural industries represent 80% of the ammonia produced in the United States of America. The growth of plants requires nitrogen, which is found in ammonia. For this reason, it is frequently used by the fertilizer industry to make many products that aide the growth of crops. Up to 200 pounds of ammonia can be used in each acre during a growing season, depending on which crop has been planted.  The treatment of water and wastewater includes the usage of ammonia. The levels of chemicals in water, or pH, must be controlled for safety; this is done with the use of ammonia in solution structure. The ammonia reinforces weak anions in concurrence with chlorine to produce water that is not hazardous to drink.  The most widely known use of ammonia is in the formation of household cleaning products, such as Windex. One of the most common misconceptions people have concerning ammonia in household cleaners is that when combined with other cleaners that contain bleach, such as Clorox, it will become more potent and will clean better. This is actually incredibly dangerous though, because the fumes from this compound can cause loss of conciousness and could be fatal if not treated immediately.

DANGERS: Though ammonia is a helpful ingredient in household chemicals, in growth of plants, and in the safety of drinking water, there have been several ammonia related deaths. In 2006, twenty thousand people had to be evacuated from a fertilizer company in China. The company had a leak of poisonous ammonia gas that later killed one employee, and impaired three others, as well as a firefighter, a sixteen year old girl and a pregnant woman. Ammonia also causes death because it is included in the production of many illegal substances; such as cigarettes (even though they aren't illegal, they are incredibly harmful,) crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. Despite common misconceptions, ammonia has not been proven to cause cancer, but unfortunately ammonia can be incredibly dangerous if used improperly and often lethal.  Exposure to high levels of ammonia in air may be irritating to your skin, eyes, throat and lungs and potentially cause coughing and burns. After constant exposure to very high concentrations of ammonia, lung damage and death may occur. Swallowing concentrated solutions of ammonia such as, household cleaners can cause burns in your mouth, throat, and stomach. Also, if ammonia comes into direct contact with the eyes it can cause burns, or even blindness. 

[|http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts126.htmlKristen Soo and Emily Raddant.