Summary review of health effects associated with ammonia. Health issue assessment

Technical Report · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5023903

Ammonia is a colorless gas with a repellent odor. It is a naturally occurring compound in the environment; however, it is also released into the environment from ammonia-production facilities and during the manufacture and use of ammonia-containing products. It is a central compound in the environmental cycling of nitrogen and is involved in major processes such as mineralization, nitrification, and nitrogen fixation. Ammonia is a key metabolite in mammals and plays an essential role in acid-base regulation and biosynthesis of purines, pyrimidines, and nonessential amino acids. However, ammonia is a toxic gas and in experimental animals, effects from acute exposure to ammonia gas have ranged from mild irritation of the respiratory system and mucous membranes to convulsions, acute pulmonary edema, coma, and death. Continuous or repeated exposure of animals to sublethal concentrations of ammonia gas have produced adverse effects on the respiratory tract, liver, kidneys, and spleen. Quantitative data on the toxic effects of ammonia in humans is limited. Accidental exposure of humans to unspecified concentrations of ammonia has resulted in burns of the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract and in death.

• Research Organization: Dynamac Corp., Rockville, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5023903
• Report Number(s): PB-90-116948/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACUTE EXPOSURE
AIR POLLUTION
AMMONIA
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LABORATORY ANIMALS
METABOLISM
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
PHARMACOLOGY
POLLUTION
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RISK ASSESSMENT
TOXICITY