Ammonium nitrate

 What ammonium nitrate caused the Beirut explosion

After the horrific explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital beirut on Tuesday, killing and injuring hundreds, and the statement by the Lebanese authorities that the cause of the explosion was due to ammonium nitrate, which had been stored in the port of Beirut for years, questions abounded about the nature and uses of this substance:

What is ammonium nitrate?

Ammonium nitrate is a white, odorless granule such as salt, which is made at low cost by mixing ammonia and nitric acid, an industrial chemical that is medium-explosive, four times stronger than gunpowder, while TNT outperforms it in blast force

What are their uses?

Ammonium nitrate is widely used in the fertilizer industry, as it is a nitrogen-rich source of the plant. Ammonium nitrate is also involved in the manufacture of explosives, particularly in mining and mining

How dangerous is it?

Ammonium nitrate per se is not dangerous, according to the German website Chemie.de. It depends on the storage method and the safety standards adopted. According to germany's WD channel, ammonium nitrate becomes explosive if large quantities are stored near each other. In this case, ammonium nitrate heats up, ignites if the stored quantity is too large, and then reacts with oxygen that increases its ignition power

Why does ammonium nitrate explode?

After it ignites, ammonium nitrate begins to melt, and a solid layer forms around it while the material continues to burn inside this layer, similar to the eruption of the volcano, where the gases formed from the combustion of the material press the solid outer layer until it explodes. The Guardian also reports that sodium nitrate may also ignite if mixed with other substances such as oil

What are the consequences of the ammonium nitrate explosion

The Guardian reports that the chemicals from the explosion dissipate quickly in the atmosphere, but some pollutants may still exist, such as nitrogen oxide, causing a red cloud over the blast site. According to the site, these pollutants may cause problems later on, such as acid rain that harms the environment

What are the safety standards

Ammonium nitrate is classified as flammable, so many countries follow strict safety measures in their storage and use according to the German website Shimi. This is because terrorist groups use this substance for easy manufacture and acquisition at a relatively low price

Was ammonium nitrate used in terrorist bombings

nitrate has been used in several terrorist bombings before, and the SECRET IRA detonated several ammonium nitrate bombs as a primary component, the first in April 1992

A year later, secret IRA agents used ammonium nitrate to detonate a bomb in London in April 1993

In 1995, Timothy McVeigh blew up a car loaded with ammonium nitrate in front of a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people

In 2011, Norwegian Anders Breivik used the same method to carry out a bombing in Oslo

Terrorist groups in Iraq also used ammonium nitrate in several bombings