Iowa Workers' Compensation - Ammonia Exposure
Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 335
The injured workers, their families and co-workers may have questions about the short and long term effects of being exposed to ammonia. As was seen in this most recent incident death can occur. Ammonia is a toxic substance the profile on ammonia is set out below.
Ammonia is found throughout the environment in the air, soil, and water, and in plants and animals including humans. Exposure to high levels of ammonia can cause irritation and serious burns on the skin and in the mouth, throat, lungs, and eyes. At very high levels, ammonia can even cause death.
What is ammonia?
Ammonia occurs naturally and is produced by human activity. It is an important source of nitrogen which is needed by plants and animals. Bacteria found in the intestines can produce ammonia. Ammonia is a colorless gas with a very distinct odor. This odor is familiar to many people because ammonia is used in smelling salts, many household and industrial cleaners, and window-cleaning products. Once exposed to open air, liquid ammonia quickly turns into a gas. Ammonia is applied directly into soil on farm fields, and is used to make fertilizers for farm crops, lawns, and plants. Many household and industrial cleaners contain ammonia.
How might I be exposed to ammonia?
• Everyone is exposed to low levels of naturally-occurring ammonia in air, food, water, and soil.
• You may be exposed to higher levels during use of cleaning products containing ammonia.
• You may be exposed to higher levels if you apply ammonia fertilizers or live near farms where these fertilizers have been applied.
• You may be exposed to high levels if you go into enclosed buildings that contain lots of animals (such as on farms).
How can ammonia affect your health?
No health effects have been found in humans exposed to typical environmental concentrations of ammonia. Exposure to high levels of ammonia in air may be irritating to your skin, eyes, throat, and lungs and cause coughing and burns. Lung damage and death may occur after exposure to very high concentrations of ammonia. Some people with asthma may be more sensitive to breathing ammonia than others.
Swallowing concentrated solutions of ammonia can cause burns in your mouth, throat, and stomach. Splashing ammonia into your eyes can cause burns and even blindness.
You can be affected by ammonia exposure through inhalation, skin/eye contact and ingestion. There are many places in our communities where you can come into contact with ammonia. Ammonia is manufactured by reacting hydrogen with nitrogen. So if you see warning signs showing nitrogen and hydrogen is present there may also be ammonia. About 80% of the ammonia produced is used in fertilizers. It is also used as a refrigerant gas, and in the manufacture of plastics, explosives, pesticides, and other chemicals, as a corrosion inhibitor, in the purification of water supplies, as a component of household cleaners, in the pulp and paper, metallurgy, rubber, food and beverage, textile and leather industries, and in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Ammonia is also produced naturally from decomposition of organic matter and under unusual conditions, can reach dangerous concentrations.
Health Effects
• Ammonia is highly irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. Swelling and narrowing of the throat and bronchi, coughing, and an accumulation of fluid in the lungs can occur.
• Ammonia causes rapid onset of a burning sensation in the eyes, nose, and throat, accompanied by lacrimation, rhinorrhea, and coughing. Upper airway swelling and pulmonary edema may lead to airway obstruction.
• Prolonged skin contact is prolonged (more than a few minutes) can cause pain and corrosive injury.
Acute Exposure
Anhydrous ammonia reacts with moisture in the mucous membranes to produce an alkaline solution (ammonium hydroxide). Exposure to ammonia gas or ammonium hydroxide can result in corrosive injury to the mucous membranes of the eyes, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract and to the skin due to the alkaline pH and the hygroscopic nature of ammonia.
Respiratory
The extent of injury produced by exposure to ammonia depends on the duration of the exposure, the concentration of the gas, and the depth of inhalation. Even fairly low airborne concentrations (50 ppm) of ammonia produce rapid onset of eye, nose, and throat irritation; coughing; and narrowing of the bronchi. More severe clinical signs include immediate narrowing of the throat and swelling, causing upper airway obstruction and accumulation of fluid in the lungs. This may result in low blood oxygen levels and an altered mental status. Mucosal burns to the tracheobronchial tree can also occur. Children may be more vulnerable to corrosive agents than adults because of the smaller diameter of their airways. Children may also be more vulnerable because of failure to evacuate an area promptly when exposed.
Dermal
Dilute aqueous solutions (less than 5%) rarely cause serious burns but can be moderately irritating. Exposure to concentrated vapor or solution can cause pain, inflammation, blisters, necrosis and deep penetrating burns, especially on moist skin areas. Skin contact with compressed, liquid ammonia (which is stored at -28ºF) causes frostbite injury, and may also result in severe burns with deep ulcerations.
Ocular
Ammonia has a greater tendency to penetrate and damage the eyes than does any other alkali. Even low concentrations of ammonia vapor (100 ppm) produce rapid onset of eye irritation. Contact with high concentrations of the gas or with concentrated ammonium hydroxide may cause swelling and sloughing of the surface cells of the eye, which may result in temporary or permanent blindness.
Gastrointestinal
Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain are common symptoms following ingestion of ammonia. On rare occasions, deliberate ingestion of household ammonia (5-10%) has resulted in severe esophageal burns. Ingestion of more concentrated ammonia can cause severe corrosive injury to the mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach.
Potential Long-term Effects
Survivors of severe inhalation injury may suffer residual chronic lung disease. In cases of eye contact, ulceration and perforation of the cornea can occur after weeks or months, and blindness may ensue. Cataracts and glaucoma have been reported in persons acutely exposed. Ingestion of ammonia may cause permanent damage to the mucous membranes of the alimentary canal, with bleeding, perforation, scarring, or stricture formation as potential sequelae.
For more information, contact:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO • 888-232-6348 (TTY)
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov