Ammonium Nitrate
Right to Know
Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet
Synonyms: Nitram; Ammonia Nitrate CAS Number: 6484-52-2 Chemical Name: Nitric Acid, Ammonium Salt RTK Substance Number: 0106 Date: July 2007 Revision: February 2016 DOT Number: UN 1942
Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE BACK PAGE Ammonium Nitrate is an odorless, colorless, white to gray Hazard Summary crystalline (sand-like) flake, bead or granule. It is used to Hazard Rating NJDHSS NFPA make explosives, matches, fertilizers, and antibiotics. HEALTH - 2 FLAMMABILITY - 0 REACTIVITY - 3 REACTIVE POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE OXIDIZER
Reason for Citation Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; Ammonium Nitrate is on the Right to Know Hazardous 4=severe Substance List because it is cited by DOT and NFPA. This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance Ammonium Nitrate can affect you when inhaled and by List. passing through your skin. Contact can irritate and burn the skin and eyes. Inhaling Ammonium Nitrate can irritate the nose, throat and lungs. High levels may cause methemoglobinemia with headache, fatigue, and a blue color to the skin and lips. SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. Ammonium Nitrate is REACTIVE and a DANGEROUS EXPLOSION HAZARD.
FIRST AID
Eye Contact Immediately flush with large amounts of cool water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact lenses, if worn, while rinsing. Workplace Exposure Limits No occupational exposure limits have been established for Skin Contact Ammonium Nitrate. This does not mean that this substance Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash is not harmful. Safe work practices should always be followed. contaminated skin with large amounts of water.
Inhalation It should be recognized that Ammonium Nitrate can be Remove the person from exposure. absorbed through your skin, thereby increasing your Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if exposure. breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. Transfer promptly to a medical facility.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222 CHEMTREC: 1-800-424-9300 NJDEP Hotline: 1-877-927-6337 National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802
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Determining Your Exposure Reproductive Hazard According to the information presently available to the New Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Jersey Department of Health, Ammonium Nitrate has not Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product been tested for its ability to affect reproduction. ingredients and important safety and health information about the product mixture. Other Effects No chronic (long-term) health effects are known at this time. For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New
Jersey Department of Health and Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet, available on the RTK website Medical (http://nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/right-to- Medical Testing know/) or in your facility’s RTK Central File or Hazard If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the Communication Standard file. following is recommended:
You have a right to this information under the New Jersey Blood methemoglobin level Worker and Community Right to Know Act, the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. are a private worker.
The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right employers to label chemicals in the workplace and to this information under the OSHA Access to Employee requires public employers to provide their employees with Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020). information concerning chemical hazards and controls. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 Workplace Controls and Practices CFR 1910.1200) requires private employers to provide Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or similar information and training to their employees. sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely regarding the health hazards that may result from exposure. irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control effects described below. exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. Health Hazard Information Acute Health Effects The following work practices are also recommended: The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Ammonium Nitrate: Label process containers. Provide employees with hazard information and training. Contact can irritate and burn the skin and eyes. Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. Inhaling Ammonium Nitrate can irritate the nose, throat and Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed lungs. recommended exposure levels. Overexposure can cause nausea, vomiting, flushing of the Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. face and neck, headache, weakness and collapse. Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous High levels can interfere with the ability of the blood to carry material. Oxygen causing headache, fatigue, dizziness, and a blue Always wash at the end of the workshift. color to the skin and lips (methemoglobinemia). Higher Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes levels can cause trouble breathing, collapse and even death. contaminated. Do not take contaminated clothing home. Chronic Health Effects Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are some time after exposure to Ammonium Nitrate and can last being handled, processed or stored. for months or years: Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, applying cosmetics or using the toilet. When vacuuming, a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) Cancer Hazard filter should be used, not a standard shop vacuum. According to the information presently available to the New
Jersey Department of Health, Ammonium Nitrate has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals.
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In addition, the following may be useful or required: Leave the area immediately if (1) while wearing a filter or cartridge respirator you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect Before entering a confined space where Ammonium Ammonium Nitrate, (2) while wearing particulate filters Nitrate may be present, check to make sure that an abnormal resistance to breathing is experienced, or (3) eye explosive concentration does not exist. irritation occurs while wearing a full facepiece respirator. Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during Check to make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good. clean-up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP. If it is, replace the filter or cartridge. If the seal is no longer good, you may need a new respirator. Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your workplace. You may need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges Personal Protective Equipment to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. 1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate Where the potential for high exposure exists, use a NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure employees on how and when to use protective equipment. mode. For increased protection use in combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in a The following recommendations are only guidelines and may pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode. not apply to every situation.
Gloves and Clothing Fire Hazards Avoid skin contact with Ammonium Nitrate. Wear personal If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained protective equipment made from material which can not be and equipped as stated in the OSHA Fire Brigades Standard permeated and/or degraded by this substance. Safety (29 CFR 1910.156). equipment suppliers/manufacturers can provide
recommendations on the most protective glove/clothing material for your operation. To extinguish fire, flood with water. Safety equipment manufacturers recommend Butyl or DO NOT USE dry chemical, CO2 or halogenated Neoprene for gloves and CHEMFAB Challenger® 5200 as extinguishing agents. protective material for clothing. POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, including All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) Nitrogen Oxides and Ammonia. should be clean, available each day, and put on before work. CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE. Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. Eye Protection Ammonium Nitrate may ignite combustibles (wood, paper Wear eye protection with side shields or goggles. and oil). Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances. Spills and Emergencies Respiratory Protection If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Such equipment properly trained and equipped. The OSHA Hazardous Waste should only be used if the employer has a written program that Operations and Emergency Response Standard (29 CFR takes into account workplace conditions, requirements for 1910.120) may apply. worker training, respirator fit testing, and medical exams as described in the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 If Ammonium Nitrate is spilled, take the following steps: CFR 1910.134). Evacuate personnel and secure and control entrance to the For field applications check with your supervisor and your area. safety equipment supplier regarding the appropriate Eliminate all ignition sources. respiratory equipment. Collect with a clean shovel and place into noncombustible Where the potential exists for overexposure to Ammonium containers. Nitrate, use a NIOSH approved negative pressure, air Ventilate and wash area after clean-up is complete. purifying, particulate filter respirator. The filter classifications Keep Ammonium Nitrate out of a confined space, such as of dust/mist/fume, paint spray or pesticide prefilters, and a sewer, because of the possibility of an explosion. filters for radon daughters, have been replaced with the N, It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Ammonium R, and P series. Each series has three levels of filtering Nitrate as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your state efficiency: 95%, 99%, and 99.9%. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your regional office of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations.
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Handling and Storage Occupational Health Information Prior to working with Ammonium Nitrate you should be Resources trained on its proper handling and storage. The New Jersey Department of Health and Occupational
Health Service, offers multiple services in occupational health. Ammonium Nitrate is a STRONG OXIDIZER and when contaminated with OIL, CHARCOAL, or other ORGANIC These services include providing informational resources, MATERIALS, can EXPLODE and become SENSITIVE TO educational materials, public presentations, and industrial SHOCK. hygiene and medical investigations and evaluations. Ammonium Nitrate reacts with STRONG BASES (such as SODIUM HYDROXIDE and POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE). Ammonium Nitrate is not compatible with REDUCING For more information, please contact: AGENTS; COMBUSTIBLES; STRONG ACIDS (such as HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and NITRIC); POWDERED METALS; METAL SALTS; OXIDIZING AGENTS (such as New Jersey Department of Health PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES, PERMANGANATES, Right to Know CHLORATES, NITRATES, CHLORINE, BROMINE and PO Box 368 FLUORINE); PHOSPHORUS; UREA; and SULFUR. Trenton, NJ 08625-0368 Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated Phone: 609-984-2202 area away from MOISTURE. Containers should be Fax: 609-984-7407 protected from physical damage, shock, heat, and contamination. E-mail: [email protected] Sources of ignition, such as smoking and open flames, are Web address: prohibited where Ammonium Nitrate is used, handled, or http://nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/right-to- stored in a manner that could create a potential fire or know/
explosion hazard. Wherever Ammonium Nitrate is used, handled, The Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets manufactured, or stored, use explosion-proof electrical equipment and fittings. are not intended to be copied and sold for commercial purposes.
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GLOSSARY
ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental Industrial A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation Hygienists. They publish guidelines called Threshold Limit is a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations Values (TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals. can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer.
Boiling point is the temperature at which a substance can NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies change its physical state from a liquid to a gas. substances according to their fire and explosion hazard.
A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer. NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves The CAS number is unique, identifying number, assigned by respirators, conducts studies of workplace hazards, and the Chemical Abstracts Service, to a specific chemical. proposes standards to OSHA.
CFR is the Code of Federal Regulations, which are the NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests chemicals regulations of the United States government. and reviews evidence for cancer.
A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn. OSHA is the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which adopts and enforces health and safety A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes standards. destruction of human skin or severe corrosion of containers. PEOSHA is the New Jersey Public Employees Occupational DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental Safety and Health Act, which adopts and enforces health and Protection. safety standards in public workplaces.
DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency Permeated is the movement of chemicals through protective that regulates the transportation of chemicals. materials.
EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal PIH is a DOT designation for chemicals which are Poison agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards. Inhalation Hazards.
ERG is the Emergency Response Guidebook. It is a guide for ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a emergency responders for transportation emergencies measure of concentration by volume in air. involving hazardous substances. A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases A fetus is an unborn human or animal. energy under certain conditions.
A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will STEL is a Short Term Exposure Limit which is usually a 15- ignite easily and burn rapidly. minute exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a work day. The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air. A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by damaging the fetus. IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a scientific group. UEL or Upper Explosive Limit is the highest concentration in air above which there is too much fuel (gas or vapor) to begin a Ionization Potential is the amount of energy needed to reaction or explosion. remove an electron from an atom or molecule. It is measured in electron volts. Vapor Density is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of one gas to the weight of another (usually Hydrogen), at the IRIS is the Integrated Risk Information System database same temperature and pressure. maintained by federal EPA. The database contains information on human health effects that may result from The vapor pressure is a measure of how readily a liquid or a exposure to various chemicals in the environment. solid mixes with air at its surface. A higher vapor pressure indicates a higher concentration of the substance in air and LEL or Lower Explosive Limit is the lowest concentration of a therefore increases the likelihood of breathing it in. combustible substance (gas or vapor) in the air capable of continuing an explosion. mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume).
Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet
Common Name: AMMONIUM NITRATE Synonyms: Nitram; Ammonia Nitrate CAS No: 6484-52-2 Molecular Formula: NH4NO3 RTK Substance No: 0106 Description: A colorless to white or gray, crystalline solid or granule
HAZARD DATA Hazard Rating Firefighting Reactivity 2 - Health Flood with water. Ammonium Nitrate is a STRONG OXIDIZER and when contaminated with OIL, CHARCOAL or other ORGANIC 0 - Fire DO NOT USE dry chemical, CO2 or MATERIALS, can EXPLODE and become SENSITIVE TO 3- Reactivity halogenated extinguishing agents. SHOCK. POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN Ammonium Nitrate must be stored to avoid contact with FIRE, including Nitrogen Oxides and REDUCING AGENTS; COMBUSTIBLES; STRONG ACID DOT ID #: UN 1942 Ammonia. (such as HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and NITRIC); ERG Guide #: 140 CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE POWDERED METALS; METAL SALTS; OXIDIZING Hazard Class: 5.1 Use water spray to keep fire-exposed AGENTS (such as PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES, (Oxidizer) containers cool. PERMANGANATES, CHLORATES, NITRATES, Evacuate in all directions for 1,600 meters CHLORINE, BROMINE and FLUORINE); PHOSPHORUS; (1 mile) if fire cannot be controlled. UREA; and SULFUR. Protect from shock. Ammonium Nitrate reacts with STRONG BASES (such as SODIUM HYDROXIDE and POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE).
SPILL/LEAKS PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Isolation Distance: 10 to 25 meters (30 to 80 feet) Odor Threshold: Odorless Flash Point: Nonflammable Collect with a clean shovel and place in LEL: N/A noncombustible containers. UEL: N/A Keep Ammonium Nitrate out of a confined Density: 1.7 g/cm3 space, such as a sewer, because of the Water Solubility: Soluble possibility of an explosion. Melting Point: 336oF (169oC) Decomposes at 410oF (210oC) This material may be hazardous to water quality Ionization Potential: No Information but will biodegrade. pH: 5.4 EXPOSURE LIMITS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
ACGIH: N/A Gloves: Butyl or Neoprene OSHA: N/A Coverall: CHEMFAB Challenger® 5200 NIOSH: N/A Boot: Butyl or Neoprene IDLH LEVEL: N/A Respirator: N95 for dusts or mists PAC1: 6.7 mg/m3 Supplied air for unknown levels or emergency PAC2: 73 mg/m3 PAC3: 440 mg/m3 HEALTH EFFECTS FIRST AID AND DECONTAMINATION Eyes: Irritation and burns Remove the person from exposure. Skin: Irritation and burns Flush eyes with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes. Acute: Nose, throat and lung irritation Remove contact lenses if worn. Methemoglobinemia with headache, Remove contaminated clothing. Wash contaminated skin with water. fatigue and blue color to the skin and
lips Begin artificial respiration if breathing has stopped and CPR if necessary. Transfer to a medical facility. Chronic: Cancer - Not tested No information available February 2016