What makes a fertilizer fire so volatile
Friday, April 19, 2013 - 22:30
in Earth & Climate
ByMarc LallanillaLiveScienceA fire anywhere is cause for concern, but a fire at a fertilizer plant is a potential catastrophe.That's because ammonium nitrate, a chemical commonly used in agricultural fertilizers, is a highly explosive compound, as shown by the massive fireball at the fertilizer plant in the town of West, Texas, on Wednesday.Nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are essential plant n...