Isn’t it interesting that a chemical can be both incredibly useful and very dangerous to people, depending on where it is and what it’s doing? Anhydrous ammonia is one such chemical compound: it’s used to help grow the food people eat and make the clothes they wear, yet it can seriously harm and even kill people if it gets and lingers on them.
While you can appreciate its agricultural and industrial benefits, you should avoid coming into contact with the substance and get rid of any trace of it on your body if it does get on you. Here’s how the compound affects your eyes and what you should do to treat them effectively.
What is Anhydrous Ammonia and What is It Used For?
An inorganic chemical compound consisting of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms, anhydrous ammonia (NH3) occurs naturally and can be produced industrially. The industrially produced kind is stored in liquid form in highly pressurized containers but expands rapidly into a pungent, colorless gas once it’s released into the air.
Unlike aqueous ammonia (aka ammonium hydroxide), which is a solution formed when the chemical compound is dissolved in water, pure anhydrous ammonia contains no water. Since it lacks water, the compound will seek out moisture from the nearest sources; the combination of its water-seeking quality and nitrogen content makes it a very efficient and commonly used fertilizer. As the compound also boils at a very low temperature of -27 degrees F (-33 degrees C) and can cool the air around it, it’s equally useful as a refrigerant. It can also be used to make plastics, dyes, textiles, detergents, and pesticides.
What Happens If This Substance Gets in Your Eyes?
What makes this chemical compound especially useful as a fertilizer and refrigerant is also what makes it dangerous to humans. If the compound comes into contact with a human, its affinity for water will naturally draw it to the water that makes up 70% of the person’s body weight. When it combines with water, it forms the corrosive alkaline compound ammonium hydroxide.
Human eyes contain more water than most other parts of the body, so this type of ammonia is especially dangerous when it comes into contact with those body parts. It can dehydrate the eyes by drawing water away from them, chemically burn them by mixing with the water inside them to form ammonium hydroxide, and cause instant frostbite by drawing away their heat. It can also inflame their membranes, cause their surface cells to swell and drop off, and inflict temporary or permanent blindness.
How Do You Treat Your Eyes If They’re Exposed?
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If ammonia comes into contact with your or someone else’s eyes, you should immediately flush them out with lukewarm water for at least 15 minutes. Keep the eyelids open the whole time, and remove any contact lenses if possible. Do not use eye drops to remove the substance, as they won’t be effective. Contact emergency medical services (EMS) or take the person to the hospital so trained EMTs or doctors can provide supportive medical care. Although there’s no antidote for ammonia poisoning, immediately decontaminating yourself or someone else and getting medical care are vitally important for recovery.
To reduce the risk of exposure, workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes ventless goggles, a full face shield, rubber gloves with long cuffs, and a long-sleeved shirt when working with the compound. So that they’re able to respond to contamination immediately, vehicle drivers should carry a 5-gallon container of clean water, while individual workers should carry 6 to 8 fluid-ounce spray bottles with clean water in them.
According to the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the gas becomes immediately dangerous to people’s health and lives at 300 parts per million (ppm). Both organizations set permissible exposure limits of 25 to 50 parts per million over an eight-hour period for anyone working with the compound. Although the gas is colorless, its pungent odor can be detected at levels of 5 ppm, and the eye irritation it causes can be detected at levels of 20 ppm in the air. If you smell the gas or feel your eyes burning at any point, get out of the area where it is as soon as possible.
Final Thoughts
While anhydrous ammonia does have many important uses in our world, it can be very dangerous to humans if not handled properly. If the compound comes into contact with your eyes, it can cause dehydration, burning sensations, and even temporary or permanent blindness, so you’ll have to flush them out and seek immediate medical treatment to prevent serious consequences.
Anyone who works with this gas should take proper precautions to prevent it from reaching their eyes and act swiftly to remove it if it does come into contact with them. If you take the right steps to protect yourself, you can help make sure this compound stays out of body parts where it’s not supposed to be.
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