Why in the News?
On December 22, 2020, two officials died and at least 16 others were injured when ammonia leaked at an Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) unit in Fulpur, Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh.
Ammonia: Basic Facts
- A tri-hydroid of nitrogen (NH3), ammonia is a building block for ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) that is used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertiliser.
- Ammonia is critical in the manufacturing of fertilizers, and is one of the largest-volume synthetic chemicals produced in the world.
- More than 80 per cent of ammonia made is consumed in the manufacturing of fertilizer, and most of the remainder goes into the production of formaldehyde.
- Ammonia is highly soluble in water and it is found in soil, air, and water.
- It is naturally present in the body and secreted by the kidneys to neutralise excess acid. However, it is highly diluted when in the environment and does not affect the human body to a noticeable level.
- Ammonia interacts immediately upon contact with moisture present in the skin, eyes, oral cavity, respiratory tract to form ammonium hydroxide, which is very caustic and disrupts the cell membrane lipids, ultimately leading to cellular destruction.
(Source: Indian Express)
