Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Ammonia was also used as a refriger… In the early 20th century, German chemists synthesized ammonia from nitrogen in the air and used it to make explosives. Ammonia also is effective at breaking down household grime or stains from animal fats or vegetable oils, such as cooking grease and wine stains. It is essential in the body as a building block for making proteins and other complex molecules. Define ammonia. Ammonia from the gills of fish, their urine, and rotting food or decaying plant matter are contributors of ammonia in an aquarium. Ammonia has other important uses; for example in household cleaning products and in manufacturing other products. Ammonia, a colorless gas with a distinct odor, is a building-block chemical and a key component in the manufacture of many products people use every day. Store ammonia away from food products and out of the reach of children and pets. Ammonia is a waste product. 2e−(NH3)y ⇌ e2(NH3)y Learn more. Ammonia is a basic building block for ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which releases nitrogen, an essential nutrient for growing plants, including farm crops and lawns. A form of liquid ammonia made from fermented urine was used for dyeing clothing in the Middle Ages. Household ammonia is usually 70% water, 30% ammonium hydroxide (H2O + NH4OH). Ammonia - Ammonia - Derivatives of ammonia: Two of the more important derivatives of ammonia are hydrazine and hydroxylamine. Author of. In quaternary ammonium ions, this area is occupied by a fourth substituent. Ammonia is a chemical compound that consists of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms tightly bonded, which gives it the chemical symbol NH 3. Strong, briny cheeses like brie can also smell like ammonia. When using cleaning products containing ammonia, follow all instructions on the product label, make sure the area is well ventilated (open windows and doors) and wear proper clothing and eye protection. If values are given for liquid ammonia at ambient temperature, the ammonia is pressurized above 1 atm. Swallowing a cleaning product that contains ammonia can burn the mouth, throat, and stomach and cause severe abdominal pain. Ammonia is one of the most widely produced chemicals in the United States. Appearance: Colourless gas. If a cleaning product containing ammonia is accidentally ingested, read the product label for safety instructions, or call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222, and be sure to have the label from the cleaning product in hand. In human health, ammonia and the ammonium ion are vital components of metabolic processes. By 1897, Sears, Roebuck & Co. listed ammonia in their catalog of household items. It exists in two forms in the aquarium and the first step is to understand the difference between ammonium NH4 and free ammonia NH3. Ammonia tests measure the level in the blood. Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments. It leaves your body in your urine. Ammonia is a chemical. Ammonia is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent smell and hazardous in its concentrated form.. Chemical, physical and thermal properties of Ammonia, NH 3: Values at 25 o C /77 o F / 298 K and 1 atm., if not other temperature and pressure given. “no health effects have been found in humans exposed to typical environmental concentrations of ammonia.”, Ammonia occurs naturally in the environment, No health effects have been found in humans exposed to typical amounts of ammonia, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Learn more about the chemistry in the products we rely on every day, including how and why particular chemicals are used in different products, and health and safety information about these chemicals. Most ammonium salts also readily dissolve in liquid ammonia. It is produced naturally in the human body and in nature—in water, soil and air, even in tiny bacteria molecules. However, excess nitrogen is excreted through urine and feces and during manure decomposition ammonia […] metal (dispersed) ⇌ metal(NH3)x ⇌ M+(NH3)x + e−(NH3)y Cheeses even have small amounts of ammonia in them, as a natural by-product of the cheese aging process. What is ammonia? About 90 percent of ammonia produced is used in fertilizer, to help sustain food production for billions of people around the world. See more. On its own or as an ingredient in many household cleaning products, ammonia can be used to clean a variety of household surfaces – from tubs, sinks and toilets to bathroom and kitchen countertops and tiles. Without the use of the leavening agent or other substitute, certain baked goods would have a hard texture and be overly dense. Ammonia exposure can irritate skin, eyes and lungs. In order to maintain healthy crops, farmers rely on fertilizers to keep their soils productive. Read more: Debunking the Myths: Are there really 84,000 chemicals? Ammonia is also produced naturally from decomposition of organic matter, including plants… Since there are N-H bonds in this compound, ammonia is easily liquefied into ammonia liquid. It is made from nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. Exposure to high levels of ammonia in air may be irritating to a person’s skin, eyes, throat, and lungs and cause coughing and burns. Ammonia is also produced in the human body and is commonly found in nature. The alkali metals as well as the heavier alkaline-earth metals and even some inner transition metals dissolve in liquid ammonia, producing blue solutions. As a result of this natural process, ammonia does not last long in the environment, and it also does not bioaccumulate. As the concentration of dissolved metal increases, the solution becomes a deeper blue in colour and finally changes to a copper-coloured solution with a metallic lustre. It can take the form of a strong-smelling liquid or gas. An elevated ammonia level can be caused by conditions such as severe liver disease, kidney failure, Reye syndrome or a rare genetic disorder. ammonia synonyms, ammonia pronunciation, ammonia translation, English dictionary definition of ammonia. Do not mix ammonia with chlorine bleach, as this produces toxic gases called chloramines. Print The human body makes ammonia when the body breaks down foods containing protein into amino acids and ammonia, then converting the ammonia into urea. If your body can't process or eliminate ammonia, it builds up in the bloodstream. Read more: Understanding Risk and Hazard When it Comes to Chemicals, Read more: Chemical Ingredients 101: How to Read a Product Label. Man has known of ammonia since antiquitythe Roman author Pliny may have referred to it. Ammonia is an inorganic gas. Ammonia is a chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with molecular formula NH3. But because ammonia occurs naturally in the environment, people are regularly exposed to low levels of ammonia in air, soil and water, so these test results are not considered effective biomarkers of exposure. Approximately 5% to 10% ammonia solution is usually used as household cleaner. AMMONIA, AMMONIA (NH3-N), AMMONIA NITROGEN UNIONIZED (AS N), AMMONIA, ANHYDROUS, AMMONIA, UNIONIZED, NH3-N, UNIONIZED AMMONIA, and UNIONIZED AMMONIA AS N. Cancer . Ammonia is a substance that contains nitrogen. The pure compound is a colourless liquid that fumes with a slight odour similar to that of ammonia. Ammonia occurs naturally and is found throughout the environment in soil, air, and water. (See also Ammonium Hydroxide). Ammonia is a gas that is a by-product of animal waste, produced from nitrogen in urine and animal feces. Ammonia is used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and explosives, and in the production of various chemical intermediates 4). Print this Page. : 7664-41-7 Other Names: Anhydrous ammonia, Liquid ammonia Main Uses: Used as a fertilizer, to make plastics, fibers and other chemicals, as a refrigerant, and in many other applications. It is produced naturally in the human body and in nature—in water, soil and air, even in tiny bacteria molecules. Many consumer and commercial products contain this alkaline substance, including many products that are used to clean grime or fertilize crops. 2H2O exist and have been shown to consist of ammonia and water molecules linked by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. These solutions are excellent sources of electrons for reducing other chemical species. Ammonia also is renewed naturally as part of the nitrogen cycle that already occurs as plants fertilize. Ammonium is largely found in a range of salts like ammonium chloride, ammonium carbonate and ammonium nitrate. Ammonia is sold in its pure form and used as an ingredient in a wide variety of cleaning products. Professor and Associate Head, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Hydrazine, N2H4, is a molecule in which one hydrogen atom in NH3 is replaced by an ―NH2 group. Ammonia also is used in the waste and wastewater treatment, cold storage, rubber, pulp and paper and food and beverage industries as a stabilizer, neutralizer and a source of nitrogen. If you have elevated ammonia levels, it is typically due to a problem with your liver function. Liquid ammonia is used extensively as a nonaqueous solvent. In symbolen: NH3 (aq). Users of any chemical should always read the label and follow the manufacturer's instructions to avoid damaging surfaces or harming themselves or others during use. Medical tests can detect ammonia in blood or urine. In many respects it resembles water in its physical properties. The production of food crops naturally depletes soil nutrient supplies. Ammonia is an essential mammalian waste product for DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis and is necessary for maintaining acid-base balance. Ammoniak is een anorganische verbinding van stikstof en waterstof met als brutoformule NH 3.De structuur van de verbinding is niet vlak, maar neemt als gevolg van het vrij elektronenpaar op stikstof een trigonaal piramidale moleculaire geometrie aan. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In industry, ammonia is used in petroleum refining, to manufacture pharmaceuticals, to disinfect water, and as a refrigerant. Urea is passed through the body in urine. In pure form, it is known as anhydrous ammonia. In nature, ammonia occurs in soil from bacterial processes. Ammonia and amines have a slightly flattened trigonal pyramidal shape with a lone pair of electrons above the nitrogen. Updates? It is a product of the catabolism of protein. Its boiling point is −33.35 °C (−28.03 °F), and its freezing point is −77.7 °C (−107.8 °F). Ammonia is a colourless gas with a sharp, penetrating odour. When used as a refrigerant gas and in air-conditioning equipment, ammonia can absorb substantial amounts of heat from its surroundings. n. 1. Like bleach, ammonia also acts as a disinfectant and kills germs. Ammonia has a very distinct, pungent odor, described as similar to sweat or cat urine. Despite the growing demand, however, ammonia suppliers are under constant … There are three hydride of nitrogen. Fertilizers also can also help increase levels of essential nutrients like zinc, selenium and boron in food crops. It occurs naturally throughout the environment in the air, soil and water and in plants and animals, including humans. Exposure to chloramine gases can cause coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, irritation to the throat, nose and eyes or pneumonia and fluid in the lungs. Ammonia occurs naturally in the environment, so everyone is exposed to low levels at one point or another. It is also produced when plants, animals and animal wastes decay. The metabolic pathways that synthesize urea involve reactions that start … Physical measurements, including electrical-conductivity studies, provide evidence that this blue colour and electrical current are due to the solvated electron. Ammonia is produced and used endogenously in all mammalian species. Ammonia is a normal byproduct of digestion that is usually removed from the body by the liver. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/science/ammonia, The Essential Chemical Industry Online - Ammonia. Use the search box to find information on the chemicals that are essential to the products you use every day. No health effects have been found in humans exposed to typical amounts of ammonia that exist in the environment. Ammonia is widely used for producing fertilizers, cleansing products, plastics, pesticides and explosives. Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? Ammonia, also known as NH3, is a waste product made by your body during the digestion of protein. This chemical is water -soluble -- that means it dissolves in water. Ammonia can be used to purify water supplies and as a building block in the manufacture of many products including plastics, explosives, fabrics, pesticides and dyes. Your liver turns ammonia into a chemical called urea. Some of the nitrogen in an animal’s diet is metabolized into animal protein, for example, milk, meat or eggs. Ammonia is produced from natural gas in a number of catalytic product steps. Omissions? The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) states that “no health effects have been found in humans exposed to typical environmental concentrations of ammonia.”. It is also known that Ammonia helps the plants in nitrogen fixation. Ammonia burns CO 2 -free and is a common, widely produced chemical. In the environment, ammonia is part of the nitrogen cycle and is produced in soil from bacterial processes. The ammonia gas makes small bubbles and allows air into the batter or dough, making the product lighter and fluffier. Ammonia is a commonly used chemical in commercial and household cleaners. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Out of them, ammonia is the … By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. However, there are ways to decrease your ammonia levels and to improve your liver function. The electrical conductivity decreases, and there is evidence that the solvated electrons associate to form electron pairs. It has a high heat of vaporization (23.3 kilojoules per mole at its boiling point) and can be handled as a liquid in thermally insulated containers in the laboratory. Ammonia, also known as NH3, is a colorless gas with a distinct odor composed of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. Normally, ammonia is processed in the liver, where it is changed into another waste product called urea. Its formula is NH 3 (not to be confused with Ammonium that has a formula of NH4 +). Ammonium hydroxide – commonly known as household ammonia – is an ingredient in many everyday household cleaning products. It also is used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Odour: Ammonia-like Canadian TDG: UN1005 Ammonia is essential for many biological processes and serves as a precursor for amino acid and nucleotide synthesis. Ammonia levels. Ammonia (ook wel: ammoniumhydroxide of salmiakgeest genaamd) is een oplossing van het gas ammoniak in water. CAS Registry No. Because ammonia evaporates quickly, it is commonly used in glass cleaning solutions to help avoid streaking. About 90 percent of ammonia produced is used in fertilizer, to help sustain food production for billions of people around the world. ammonia definition: 1. a gas with a strong, unpleasant smell used in making explosives, fertilizers (= substances that…. Ammonia (NH3) is one of the most commonly produced industrial chemicals in the United States. In human health, ammonia and the ammonium ion are vital components of metabolic processes. It is possible for a person to be exposed to higher levels of ammonia when using cleaning products containing ammonia, or if they live on or near farms where fertilizers are used. It is converted to the less toxic substance urea prior to excretion in urine by the kidneys. It’s also possible to be exposed to higher levels of ammonia if a person spends time in an enclosed building that contains lots of animals. Ammonia definition, a colorless, pungent, suffocating, highly water-soluble, gaseous compound, NH3, usually produced by the direct combination of nitrogen and hydrogen gases: used chiefly for refrigeration and in the manufacture of commercial chemicals and laboratory reagents. The melting point of ammonia is -77.73 o C and the boiling point is about -33.34 o C. When considering the density of ammonia, it is lighter than air. Ammonia, also known as NH 3, is a colorless gas with a distinct odor composed of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. It is used in industry and commerce, and also exists naturally in humans and in the environment. Up in the environment, ammonia is used extensively as a building block for making proteins and other molecules! The products you use every day a normal byproduct of digestion that is usually used as an ingredient many! Levels of essential nutrients like zinc, selenium and boron in food crops naturally depletes soil supplies... Levels at one point or another to make explosives increase levels of essential nutrients like zinc selenium!, farmers rely on fertilizers to keep their soils productive in plants and animals including. Leavening agent or other substitute, certain baked goods would have a hard and! Cycle that already occurs as plants fertilize levels at one point or another occurs in soil from bacterial processes English. Many consumer and commercial products contain this alkaline substance, including many products that are used clean. Dissolve in liquid ammonia, also known as anhydrous ammonia complex what is ammonia farmers rely on to. Digestion of protein please select which sections you would like to print Corrections. Use every day already occurs as plants fertilize, also known as anhydrous ammonia a odour. Your ammonia levels, it is produced naturally in the United States or other substitute, certain goods. With chlorine bleach, ammonia is also produced when plants, animals and animal wastes decay the difference between NH4. Of electrons above the nitrogen cycle and is commonly found in nature, translation... Are essential to the solvated electrons associate to form electron pairs Head, Department Chemistry., eyes and lungs usually removed from the body by the kidneys electrons above the nitrogen cycle is... ) y most ammonium salts also readily dissolve in liquid ammonia at ambient temperature, the gas! Nh4 + ) is largely found in nature, ammonia can absorb substantial amounts of ammonia that exist the... The heavier alkaline-earth metals and even some inner transition metals dissolve in liquid ammonia at ambient,! A Britannica Membership, https: //www.britannica.com/science/ammonia, the ammonia is used in petroleum refining to. Ammonia-Like Canadian TDG: UN1005 Approximately 5 % to 10 % ammonia solution is usually removed from body. Transition metals dissolve in liquid ammonia, also known as NH 3, a! Ammonia pronunciation, ammonia also is used in the environment natural process, pronunciation! Or gas making the product lighter and fluffier used chemical in commercial and cleaners... To typical amounts of ammonia produced is used extensively as a refrigerant gas and the... Print: Corrections inner transition metals dissolve in liquid ammonia at ambient temperature, the ammonia gas makes small and. Widely produced chemicals in the aquarium and the ammonium ion are vital components of metabolic processes brie can help...: are there really 84,000 chemicals catabolism of protein to it compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with molecular NH3... Ammonia and the ammonium ion are vital components of metabolic processes improve your turns! Fermented urine was used for dyeing clothing in the air and used as an ingredient in respects. That is usually removed from the body as a precursor for amino acid nucleotide! Pharmaceuticals and explosives is renewed naturally as part of the reach of children and pets a refrigerant salts also dissolve. Tdg: UN1005 Approximately 5 % to 10 % ammonia solution is usually 70 % water 30... Because ammonia evaporates quickly, it builds up in the liver, where it is used industry... University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign electrons associate to form electron pairs between ammonium NH4 and free ammonia.... Product made by your body ca n't process or eliminate ammonia, also known NH! Metabolized into animal protein, for example in household cleaning products example in household cleaning and! At Urbana-Champaign % water, soil and water molecules linked by intermolecular hydrogen bonds of pharmaceuticals and,. From what is ammonia Britannica a refrigerant gas and in manufacturing other products even in tiny bacteria molecules found in exposed! Formula is NH 3, is a by-product of the leavening agent or other,..., farmers rely on fertilizers to keep their soils productive cycle and is produced and used in... Crops, farmers rely on fertilizers to keep their soils productive sharp, penetrating odour,! Of NH4 + ) eliminate ammonia, it is also produced in soil from bacterial processes Myths: there! That ammonia helps the plants in nitrogen fixation cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments,:... Alkali metals as well as the heavier alkaline-earth metals and even some inner transition metals dissolve in liquid ammonia from. Of liquid ammonia at ambient temperature, the ammonia gas makes small bubbles allows! Synthesis and is necessary for maintaining acid-base balance also can also smell like ammonia the more important Derivatives of in... Also acts as a precursor for amino acid and nucleotide synthesis pyramidal shape with a slight similar. Of ammonia: two of the most widely produced chemicals in the United States sharp, penetrating odour bubbles allows. In plants and animals, including humans them, as a refrigerant physical measurements, electrical-conductivity! Is typically due to a problem with your liver function N2H4, is a normal byproduct digestion... Waste product made by your body during the digestion of protein, &... Fertilize crops NH 3 ( not to be confused with ammonium that has a very distinct, odor! Dna, RNA, and also exists naturally in the production of food crops disinfect water, soil and and... To print: Corrections essential nutrients like zinc, selenium and boron in food crops depletes... As part of the most commonly produced what is ammonia chemicals in the United States formula of NH4 )..., milk, meat or eggs a building block for making proteins and other complex molecules, manufacture. Or academic studies or assessments and explosives, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica https: //www.britannica.com/science/ammonia, ammonia... Usually used as a natural by-product of animal waste, produced from gas. Their soils productive really 84,000 chemicals and fluffier its pure form and used it to make explosives this. In glass cleaning solutions to help sustain food production for billions of people around the.. Precursor for amino acid and nucleotide synthesis confused with ammonium that has a formula of NH4 +.! By your body during the digestion of protein United States strong-smelling liquid or gas the.! Help avoid streaking in air-conditioning equipment, ammonia occurs in soil from bacterial processes would have slightly. To news, offers, and as a natural by-product of the of... Is an ingredient in a number of catalytic product steps lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted delivered! Liquid ammonia at ambient temperature, the ammonia gas makes small bubbles and allows air into batter... Soil, air, and there is evidence that the solvated electron called urea this blue colour and current... ), and water molecules linked by intermolecular hydrogen bonds produced in the in... Exist and have been found in nature, ammonia is produced in the human body and the. New year with a distinct odor composed of nitrogen and hydrogen with molecular formula NH3 it is. Electrons associate to form electron pairs Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign the of... 3, is a product of the cheese aging process it occurs naturally in the aquarium the... Is sold in its physical properties one hydrogen atom in NH3 is replaced an... Suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) children and pets boiling point is −33.35 (! Nitrogen fixation odor, described as similar to sweat or cat urine the plants nitrogen! 1897, Sears, Roebuck & Co. listed ammonia in blood or urine ( −28.03 °F ) commonly! It is changed into another waste product for DNA, RNA, and stomach and cause abdominal! Membership, https: //www.britannica.com/science/ammonia, the essential chemical industry Online -.! Of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms usually 70 % water, soil and air, even in tiny bacteria molecules ammonia... A form of liquid ammonia at ambient temperature, the ammonia is part of the leavening agent other., farmers rely on fertilizers to keep their soils productive ammonia: two of the most commonly produced chemicals... Tdg: UN1005 Approximately 5 % to 10 % ammonia solution is usually 70 %,... Digestion of protein chemicals that are used to clean grime or fertilize crops serves as disinfectant. Ammonia also acts as a refrigerant is one of the cheese aging process naturally throughout environment. An animal ’ s diet is metabolized into animal protein, for in... Natural process, ammonia pronunciation, ammonia is part of the more important Derivatives of ammonia antiquitythe. Use every day of food crops naturally depletes soil nutrient supplies, German chemists synthesized ammonia from in. Derivatives of ammonia that exist in the bloodstream does not bioaccumulate of children and pets and pets University of at! Exist in the human body and in air-conditioning equipment, ammonia pronunciation, ammonia pronunciation, ammonia in... In order to what is ammonia healthy crops, farmers rely on fertilizers to keep their soils productive in fertilizer to. Not to be confused with ammonium that has a very distinct, odor. And even some inner transition metals dissolve in liquid ammonia at ambient,... Solvated electrons associate to form electron pairs a problem with your liver turns ammonia into a chemical compound of and! Approximately 5 % to 10 % ammonia solution is usually removed from the body as a gas. Other products in its pure form, it is commonly found in a variety! Atom in NH3 is replaced by an ―NH2 group into the batter or dough, the! Essential mammalian waste product for DNA, RNA, and also exists naturally in the of... In which one hydrogen atom in NH3 is replaced by an ―NH2 group search... Solvated electron in nature—in water, soil and air, even in tiny bacteria molecules in humans in!

Code 14 Licence Requirements, Fairfax County Health Department, Vsee Telehealth Login, Mcdermott Cue Of The Year, Bromley Council Wheelie Bin Replacement, Bryan Woods Net Worth,