What Is Anhydrous Ammonia, The Chemical At The Site Of The West, Texas, Explosion?
West, Texas Explosion Culture Map AustinOne of agriculture's most dangerous substances, anhydrous ammonia requires several precautions to handle. At least five people are dead and more than 160 injured after an explosion at an anhydrous ammonia fertilizer plant in the small Texas town of West. Anhydrous ammonia is a highly toxic, volatile chemical that may have exacerbated the explosion and can blind, suffocate, burn, and kill humans. What is it? And why is it so dangerous? What is it? Anhydrous ammonia is a widely used, efficient form of nitrogen fertilizer. When used in agriculture, it's compressed into a clear, colorless liquid and stored at extremely low temperatures. In its natural form, in the open air, it's a gas, so agriculturists use special equipment to compress and handle it, storing it in tanks that can withstand 250 psi. But outside of that tank, it quickly reverts back to its gaseous state. Contact...